You're always missed kid! See you again in a bilnk!

I am so grateful Martha was born and I got to meet her. I will celebrate her birthday today by working hard to improve the water industry. Her passion will live on forever!

Happy birthday my dear Martha. I think of you everyday and miss you more than you know. Kat and I are making our way. We are doing our best and trying to make you proud. I know that you are looking after us. You are with me in spirit everywhere I go. You will always remain in my heart and my thoughts.

Love,

Craig

At a loss for words - Happy birthday Martha
Your life, your presence is missed.

Happy Birthday Martha! We all miss you so much! You were a beautiful, gentle, smart, idealistic, hardworking, strong woman. You stood up for what you believed in and you were so highly respected by everyone who knew you. We are grateful that we were able to have spent as much time together as we did. You are forever in our hearts!

I want to share a note that was written to me by my brother, Joe about Martha. It is not long, but he really managed to capture Martha’s essence.

Craig,

I want to tell you how much I truly admired Martha. I remember several years back when I came to visit you both in Colorado with Mom and Dad, and Martha gave us a tour of the waste water treatment plant where she worked. I asked her a lot of questions during the tour, and I sometimes wonder if she thought I was just being curious out of politeness. In truth, I was fascinated with the plant and extremely impressed with her, because she worked with so much passion in a field where humanitarian efforts intersect with environmentalism. Even more admirable was how a person with such intellect also maintained an aura of warmth and modesty that I always found very welcoming. Martha was a great person, and she continues to inspire me even after her passing. I’m sorry that she had to leave you and Kat, but I’m glad you still have each other.

Love you brother,

Joe

Truer words cannot be spoken about Martha. She was my wife, my confidante, and my best friend. She loved her family, friends and colleagues from the bottom of her heart. She cared deeply about her work and her research. She had a thirst for knowledge that was unquenchable. She had a gifted mind, yet she remained modest and humble.

As long as I’ve known Martha she has been driven by a desire to do work that she believed was important. Martha did what she did not for herself, but because she wanted to make a difference in the world. She wanted to contribute something important and meaningful. She gave us the gift of clean water. Her work was indeed important.

Martha was taken from us to soon. She had so much left to give the world, so much work left to do, and so much love left to give.

Martha Jean Hahn is now at piece, yet her spirit still guides us.

Martha, I miss you so much. You are always in my heart and in my thoughts.

I love you

I was so overwhelmed when I heard the news of Martha's passing that I almost couldn't accept the fact. How could that be? When Martha was in my classes and working for her Master's Degree she was so lively, inquisitive, astute and thoughtful. That will remain my image of Martha.
Even back then, her passion for improving the world through water quality and availability was palpable.
We have lost a unique, kind, gentle, gracious and benevolent person in Martha.

Martha,

I want to thank you for your passionate worldview which I remember even in your early years in life. Your sincere convictions taught me early on that I had much to learn about many ideas and opinions many hold to be true without scrutiny. I was happy to learn that this passion never diminished as you forged ahead to make a real difference in this world. You left too soon, but the life and energy you put out into the universe certainly continues on. May we all honor you by aspiring to be lights in this world as you are.

I only knew Martha for a short time through the Colorado Wastewater Utility Council. I remember hearing her speak at a meeting and thinking "Wow, I would love to be able to express technical ideas one half as clearly as she just did." The industry lost a big bright star and we all must continue to shine brightly for sustainability in memory of this beautiful person and soul. Keep on shining for Martha!

I feel honored that I had the opportunity to get to know Martha. She was a truly wonderful person who made a huge difference in the world. Her love for and connection to her family was so strong and evident. Martha impacted people in ways that nobody else could. She is greatly missed and the world is not the same without her.

Oh Martha, I love and miss you so much!!! I have always looked up to you. I am glad I got the chance to let you know that in one of our last texts. We do have a lot of stories together...one of my favorites is the story of our island camping trip. Your Dad dropped us off by boat and we camped only for that night....we forgot to bring a rain fly and it stormed so hard, trees were falling down. There was nothing we could do, so I giggled and you told me that you were glad it was me that was there and we proceeded to tell each other good night and lay there as spiders went into our hair to seek refuge. We woke up and broke everything down and your Dad showed up in rain gear to get us. It was never a big deal....with you, I was always good, no matter what the situation entailed, you just had that effect on me. I must say our open faced bluegill sandwiches with bleu cheese and mushrooms were the bomb. Your dad was nice and cleaned our fish and let us take his catch too. So many memories of us dancing, and you were ok with the fact that I looked like a muppet dancing, I was never suave. You always accepted my silliness, thank you for being my friend. I Love you.

I never knew Martha personally, but from those that I have spoken with or read tributes from, I know she was a special person. I had the honor of spending some time at the hospital with Craig, and getting to know a little about Martha through him. Martha obviously left her family and friends far too early and far too young. She obviously made the most of her life however and left a mark in the short number of years she was here. We can all learn from that. To Craig, I can't imagine what you are still going through, but you are correct - I have no doubt that Martha would want you to figure out how to move forward and be happy one day. You and your family remain in my thoughts and my prayers.

Martha was such a dear friend to me through junior high and high school. We had so many good times and amazing adventures together...Saturday morning fossil hunting expeditions, cross country skiing, floating on the Mississippi River, taking care of Tang, hosting murder mystery parties, sleepovers, and lots of times just hanging out and enjoying each other's company. I really admired her ability to march to the beat of her own drum. She gave me the courage to be my own person at a time when most people are trying so hard to figure out how to fit in. I know I owe so much of who I am to her. We lost touch after high school, but I did meet up with her once in Madison and our little lunch turned into a whole afternoon of catching up. We promised that our paths would cross again someday.

I am sadly unable to attend her memorial service today, but my heart will be there as her life is celebrated. Martha experienced and accomplished more in her short life than most people ever do, so there is much to celebrate. My deepest condolences to all those whose lives were touched by Martha and are having to say goodbye too soon. She was a truly amazing person and I know the world will not be the same without her.

Goodbye Martha. Thanks for all the love and friendship.

Jenni (Allen) Mitchell

Martha,

I hope you realized how much you positively impacted my life and the lives of others. Your dedication and passion was infectious to those around you. You made me a better person because of that passion. People like you are rare and I feel blessed to have known you.
I can’t count the times I came to you to with work or personal problems or when you came to me, knowing something was wrong. Most of the time there was nothing you could do to help my situation but I always walked away feeling a little better, not sure why, maybe it was just being able to talk to someone who showed genuine concern and compassion, and you always did.
I will never know how you were able to do all that you did, do it so successfully, and still have time for your family, friends and your staff. And as your employee, when you were "on the clock", so to speak, I know you always tried to put your staff first regardless of how busy you were and we were grateful. It showed just how much you cared for your staff.
It saddens me deeply that you're no longer with us, but there is comfort knowing you are at peace and will ALWAYS be in my thoughts and in my heart.

Goodbye Martha - you will be greatly missed

Chris Carson

Martha helped me get through some hard times. Sometimes it was just by quietly being there and listening and other times she would challenge me to just get up and move. Martha inspired me to get outside of my comfort zone and travel the world and experience different cultures and meet people.

There were so many good times...the camping trips, climbing and running at Devil's Lake, the last minute dinner parties, sitting on the front porch with friends in the summer watching the sun set and talking late into the night. All of the memories will stay with me.

Miss you Martha.

Martha, my dear,

I miss you so much. I think about you constantly. I don't know how to do this without you. I guess I have to learn. I am trying to get settled into our new home. The beautiful home that we found together, and was supposed to be our home together. I will try to make my way. I know you want me to be happy. It is all you ever wanted.

I love and miss you so much,

C