Martha “Muffy” Barnett York

Martha “Muffy” Barnett York (Wallace), of Orinda, died peacefully on August 6th surrounded by her family, just six days short of her 99th birthday.

A third-generation Californian, she was born on a family ranch in Ramona California on August 12th 1916, the youngest of four children. The family moved to Berkeley in 1922. She was a graduate of UC Berkeley and moved to Orinda in 1940, where she raised a family and lived in the same house for 75 years. She was an active member of Orinda Garden Club since 1952, and an avid player of tennis and Mahjong.

Devoted mother to Wade Wallace, Cebe Wallace, Lorna Wallace McKeown and Cly Wallace, and proud grandmother to Alicia Wallace, Sabrina Shilts and Tegan Wallace, and great-grand mother to Victoria Shilts, Thomas Shilts and Calder Wallace Lindhorst. She is pre-deceased by two husbands, David Wallace and Lyle York.

Muffy will be remembered by all as an amazing person with a love of life that was an inspiration to many people. Widely travelled, well read, with an open, active mind, she enjoyed all the people and experiences that came her way. She was an elegant presence but the opposite of pretentious. Played tennis well into her 80s, gave up driving only a month ago, hosted a Mahjong party last week, where, as a famously shrewd player, she was the top winner of the day. She was the center of gravity for an extended and scattered tribe, some blood relatives and some not, but all embraced as family. People came from great distances every year for her Christmas.

A great loss but what a life to celebrate!