Remembering Martha Aasen: The Sequel

My “06880” tribute to Martha Aasen — the long-time civic and political volunteer who died last week at 90 — mentioned many of her remarkable accomplishments.

The Mississippi native worked tirelessly for the Democratic Party, at the local, state and national levels. She founded the Y’s Women, served as president of the Westport Library Board of Trustees, was a Senior Center board member, and a very active Sunrise Rotarian.

But that’s like saying Mozart “wrote music.”

In fact, Martha Aasen’s achievements fill several pages.

Here’s just a sampling.

Between 1977 and 1990, she held a number of positions with the United Nations Secretariat. They included:

• Chief, non-governmental organization and institutional relations, Department of Public Information
• Electoral supervisor, UN transition assistance group, Namibia
• Chief, public inquiries and group program units, UN Public Services.

Previously, Martha represented the League of Women Voters of the United States at the UN. She organized the largest public meeting ever held there (1,800 people in the General Assembly).

Before the UN, Martha held editorial and publishing positions with McGraw-Hill, Famous Writers Schools and Lyceum Books. She lectured at Southern Connecticut State University, and was an executive recruiter with International Executive Service Corps in Stamford.

Beyond her volunteer efforts mentioned earlier, and her political activity — for which the Democratic Women of Westport gave her a Silver Donkey Award, then named their Yellow Dog Democrat honor after her — she was a moderator and deacon of Saugatuck Congregational Church, a member of the boards of governors and directors of the United Nations Association of the United States, and part of the Mary Baldwin College alumnae board.

Decades ago, Governor William O’Neill named her an “Outstanding Woman of the Decade.”

And … Martha Aasen was also a justice of the peace.

May she now rest in peace.