Obituary of Martha Ellen Prayer

Martha Ellen Prayer, 84, of Bird in Hand, formerly of Harrisburg, passed away on March 31, 2016 at Hospice and Community Care, Mt. Joy, PA. Born in Camp Hill, September 30, 1931, she was the daughter of the late Merrill D. Stackhouse and Helen Murray Stackhouse. Martha was retired from the New Cumberland Army Depot after 30 years of service. She was a member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Harrisburg and was a 1949 graduate of William Penn High School in Harrisburg. Martha enlisted in the Women's Army Corps in 1951 and received basic training at The WAC Training Center in Fort Lee, Virginia. Martha proudly served her country as she trained at Camp Gordon Signal School in Georgia. Upon completion of training, she reported to the WAC Detachment Headquarters at Fort Myer, Virginia and was assigned to the Pentagon as a cryptographer. She received the National Defense Service Medal. She was also an avid genealogy buff and loved history. Most of all, she loved her family and friends. Surviving are two daughters, Karen Morrow Crouse, wife of Kenneth Crouse of Bird in Hand, with whom she lived and Lauren Taylor, wife of Louis Rovelli, Camp Hill. Four grandchildren, Holyn Nickerson wife of James, Massachusetts; Andrew Taylor and partner Jonathan Major, Oregon; Lindsay Prayer, Halifax, PA; and Justin Crouse, Lancaster, PA. Three great grandchildren; Maya, Torin, and Sina Nickerson; Massachusetts and several nieces and nephews. A stepson, Richard J. Prayer III and his wife Linda of Halifax also survives. She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard J. Prayer, Jr. and her brother, Merrill D. Stackhouse, Jr. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend visitation on Wednesday, April 6, 2016 from 9AM-10AM at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2730 Booser Avenue, Harrisburg, with a Funeral to be celebrated immediately following the visitation at 10AM. Interment will be held in the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery; Annville, PA. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Martha's memory may be sent to Hospice and Community Care, P.O. Box 4125, Lancaster, PA 17604. The family extends many heartfelt thanks to family and friends, pastors, doctors, hospice care givers, nurses, aids and all who have surrounded them with love and care; and for the many acts of kindness shown to them during this difficult time. The Dailey Funeral Home is honored to serve the Prayer family. www.daileyfuneralhome.com