Martha Lillard passed away of long-haul Covid-19 on June 26, 2026. She was born June 8, 1948, to Thomas M. and Gloria June (Green) Lillard of Shawnee. Martha contracted polio in 1953, and from that time slept in an iron lung. She attended Jefferson Grade School for an hour daily and had some tutors and attended Shawnee High School via school-to-home phone. She was a member of the National Honor Society. She was a member of Emmanuel Episcopal Church and Pottawatomie County Humane Society, for which she was a volunteer for many years. She also did volunteer work with a local daycare center and was volunteer coordinator for Shawnee crisis phones. She married Baha Salh in Feb. 2026 who cared for her in their home after a 22-year courtship.
Martha is survived by Ray Stapp, Baha Salh, Mallawi, Egypt, her sister and brother-in-law, Kim Lillard of Shawnee, three cousins, Mary Ann Carmichael, Oklahoma City, and Chris J. Lillard, Shawnee. She is also survived by two nieces, Belinda McNeal, Shawnee, Andrea Koepke, Shawnee; step-niece, Melanie McVey, Shawnee; two nephews, Shane Seyffert and Tripp Lillard, Shawnee; two great-nephews, Adam Cagle and Braden Cagle; and five great nieces, Bella Rose Koepke and Scottlyn Koepke, Shawnee, Emilee Largent and Karly Shalynn Seffert, Tecumseh, and Gracee Ann Lillard, Shawnee, and her dear friend Tiffany (Rose) Tripp, Shawnee.
She was preceded in death by her father, Thomas M. Lillard; her mother, Gloria June Meng; her brother, Tommy Lillard; her grandparents, Grace A. (Hilton) Green and Judge John L. Green; her grandfather Halbert G. Lillard and step-grandmother, Mayme (Rose) Lillard; her aunt Mary Alice (Lillard) Carmichael; her uncle-in-law, Jim Carmichael; her step-mother, Peggy L. Lillard; her step-father, Dr. Sigurd M. Meng.
Services were held at Resthaven Memorial Cemetery with Reverend Tom Dahlman officiating on June 29, 2026.
