Martha Macbride

Martha MacBride
August 28, 1924 - November 22, 2020
Sacramento, California - Martha Harrold MacBride who lived almost all of her 96 years in Sacramento passed away peacefully at home on November 22, 2020.
Mrs. MacBride was born in Paso Robles where her father, Ellsworth Harrold, owned a car dealership and served as Mayor. Martha and her three brothers, Edwin Harrold, Elmer Harrold and Frederick "(Fritz") Harrold spent their summers in Martha's beloved Cayucos. After the death of Martha's mother, Larue Frederick Harrold, when Martha and her brothers were quite young, the family moved to Sacramento where her father opened Harrold Ford at 22nd and Broadway. Martha attended Kit Carson Elementary School and graduated from Sacramento High School before journeying north to the University of Oregon to study as an Art Major. She then returned to Sacramento and worked for a variety of employers including the California Legislature.
After the end of World War II, Martha met Naval officer Lieutenant JG Thomas MacBride who returned from the South Pacific to his native Sacramento to practice law. They married in 1947. Over the course of their 53 year marriage, Martha and Tom shared the excitement and challenges of raising four children, legislative campaigns, Tom's career in the federal judiciary, being flooded out of their first home and a multitude of other events that "The Greatest Generation" seemed to address so well.
Just as her husband held prominent positions in the community and government, Martha held a prominent position in the hearts of all she knew. Her willingness to offer help to others was exceeded only by her devotion to her close friends and her family, for whom she was "all in." It did not take her friends and family long to realize that someone they found to be quite fun to be with (really fun) also had a special capacity for empathy and a willingness to provide comfort to others. The same lovely lady who would lead the group at the weekly lunches at Burr's was also there to talk to when things weren't going so well.
Mrs. MacBride was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, Judge Thomas MacBride, her son Peter MacBride and her brothers, Edwin and Elmer Harrold. She survived by her sons, Thomas MacBride Jr and David MacBride, her daughter, Laurie MacBride, her grand-daughters, Melanie MacBride and Katharine MacBride, her great-granddaughter, Katharine MacBride-Strong, her daughter-in-law, Derry MacBride and her son-in-law, Bruce Kleaveland. She is also survived by her best friend to the end, her devoted younger brother, Fritz Harrold.
The family held a small private service earlier this month. They suggest that gifts in Mrs. MacBride's memory be directed to the Sacramento Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 6201 Florin Perkins Road, Sacramento CA 95828. sspca.org