(1939-2026)

Martha was unique. Martha often took the unlikely road. Or, as in Robert Frost’s famous poem, she frequently traversed the less traveled road.

This quote comes from Sister Nancyann Turner’s remembrance of Sister Martha Napior at Sister Martha’s wake. Sister Nancyann, who entered the Congregation alongside Sister Martha, remembered her compatriot in the St. Dominic Crowd as someone who loved nature, frequently took in homeless animals, and followed God’s call to minister in a wide variety of settings.

“We trust that the roads, even the less traveled roads, have brought you peace and brought you home to your God,” Sister Nancyann wrote.

Martha Camilla Ann Napiorkowski – the family name was shortened later on – was born on July 27, 1939, to Dominic and Stella (Popielarski) Napior. Dominic, or Dominick as it appears to have been originally, came to the U.S. from Poland in 1912, while Stella (a name Americanized from Stanislava, her birth name) was born in Pennsylvania.

Eventually, Dominic and Stella both ended up in Hamtramck, Michigan, a small city located within Detroit that at the time was almost entirely Polish. The couple were married in 1922 at St. Florian Church in Hamtramck and went on to have five children in all: Edward, Arthur, Loretta, Marcella, and Martha. Marcella died in 1938 at just nine months of age. Dominic was employed at one of the area’s automobile factories, while Stella supervised the home front.

Martha attended nearby St. Augustine School in Detroit for the elementary grades and the first two years of high school. The school was staffed by Adrian Dominican Sisters, and from about the age of twelve she knew she wanted to enter the Congregation. With her parents’ consent, when her sophomore year of high school was complete in June 1955 she came to Adrian to enter the postulate. She was not quite sixteen years old at the time.

Read more about Sister Martha (PDF)

Memorial gifts may be made to Adrian Dominican Sisters, 1257 East Siena Heights Drive, Adrian, MI, 49221. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Anderson-Marry Funeral Services, Adrian.

Sister's Memorial Card (PDF)

Vigil and Funeral Recordings

Note: To view recordings with closed captioning, they must be viewed on our public video library rather than through the links below.

Recording of Sister Martha's Vigil Service - After clicking the link, download the recording by right-clicking on the video choosing "Save video as." Worship Aid (PDF)

Recording of Sister Martha's Memorial Mass - After clicking the link, download the recording by right-clicking on the video choosing "Save video as." Worship Aid (PDF)

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