March 1, 1931 – January 17, 2024

Martha Cruise Bethel Hards passed away on Wednesday, January 17, 2024.  She was born March 1, 1931 in Clarksburg, WV.  She was preceded in death by her parents, John (Jack) and Thelma Cruise, her brother Joe Cruise and her husband Harold Hards.  She is survived by her daughters Debbie Gobel (Steve), Diane Perthuis;  son David Bethel (Karen); step sons Barry and Jeff Hards; grandchildren Kimberly Hosny, Trey Perthuis, Cindy Bethel, Cathy Grant, Carolyn Sayers; bonus grandsons Frankie Perez and Alex Martinez; two nieces Becky Gurinsky and Lauren Kretchman; and six great-grandchildren.

Martha graduated from Washington Irving High School and attended Simmons College in Boston, where she met her first husband, Charles E. Bethel, Jr.  Upon moving to Houston, Texas, she graduated from Hermann Hospital School of Physical Therapy and in 1983 from UHCLC.

Martha practiced physical therapy for many years and was co-responsible for establishing the "Loving Arms" program at St. Anthony Center where children could receive myoelectric prostheses for their upper extremities.  She also was Director of Physical Therapy at Moody School for Cerebral Palsied children in Galveston, Texas; was on the cancer team at St. Joseph Hospital; was chief therapist at the Arthritis Center at Texas Children's Hospital and Director of Rehabilitation at St. Anthony Center in Houston, Texas. She dearly loved her work at the various centers.

Upon retiring, while living in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas, she did many hours of volunteer work with the US Fish and Wildlife Refuse in Atascosa.  She was in charge of the volunteer program and worked at the Visitors' Center.  She also did volunteer work at the hospital in Harlingen, Texas.  During her working years, she was quite active in the Texas Physical Therapy Group serving as Chairman of the Public Relations Committee and of the Nominating Committee.

Martha Greatly loved her family.  She enjoyed fishing with them, attending their ballgames, watching their bands march, and seeing them excel in school.  She especially enjoyed her traveling with loved ones, including cruising!"

Friends are cordially invited to the visitation with the family on Thursday, January 25, 2024 at 1:00 PM with a service following at 2:00 PM at Jeter Memorial Funeral Home, 311 N. Friendswood Dr., Friendswood, Texas 77546 with Rev. Jerry Stark officiating. She will be buried in Veteran's Memorial Cemetery with her husband this summer.