Marcia “Marty” Alice Furnish, a devoted nurse, proud Navy veteran, and beloved mother, grandmother, sister and friend, passed away peacefully at the age of 83 on March 21, 2025.
Born in Los Angeles in 1941, Marty grew up in Huntington Park and attended St. Matthias Elementary School.
Her parents Elaine and Russell owned a local restaurant named after Marty and her sister, Lenny and Marty’s, where both girls worked during their teens. Marty graduated from Pius X High School in Downey, class of 1959.
Marty answered the call to service early in life, enlisting in the U.S. Navy shortly after high school. Stationed in Delaware, it was there she earned her LVN license, launching a lifelong career in nursing that touched countless lives.
After her service, Marty returned to California, where she worked for a rehabilitation hospital in Downey. In the early 1970s, she settled in Santa Maria, which she would call home for the rest of her life.
While employed at Marian Hospital, Marty was pregnant with the light of her life, her daughter Sandra ‘Sandy.’
Marty continued her nursing journey in an orthopedic office through the early 1980s before joining Valley Hospital, where she worked for many years.
Marty returned to school and, in 1991, became one of the first graduates of Allan Hancock College’s nursing program, where she was elected class vice president.
As an RN, Marty served the community through Visiting Nurse Service (VNS) in the early 1990s. She later continued her compassionate nursing with Marian Home Care until her retirement in 2008.
Marty was a devoted member of the Santa Maria Valley Lions Club for 15 years. She helped organize countless community events, including the annual Halloween house.
She also volunteered with the Santa Maria Valley Humane Society for many years. Marty had a deep love for animals and fostered kittens with Sandy. Her dog Winks was a loyal companion in her later years, and she treasured their outings to the dog park.
Marty was a lifelong and passionate Dodgers and Lakers fan. She found joy in her close knit circle —affectionately known as “The Golden Girls” — whose friendship spanned more than 40 years.
She was the proud grandmother of Levi (Elaine) and cherished her son-in-law, Rico (Ricardo).
Helping others was Marty’s calling, and she embraced it fully. Above all, she valued her loving family and their life together in Santa Maria. She leaves behind a legacy of compassion, strength and service.
Marty will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her.
She is survived by her daughter Sandy Contresas (Ricardo); granddaughter Levi; sister Lenny Dingwell; niece Dawn Collier; and cousins Stephanie Brotzman and Scott Brotzman (Andrea).
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Santa Maria Valley Humane Society in Marty’s memory.
Visit www.dudleyhoffmanmortuary.com to leave a condolence for the family.