Martha oelman - Martha Oelman was my oldest friend in homeopathy.

-  Martha oelman (Val Ohanian)

 Martha Oelman was my oldest friend in homeopathy. It was an indescribable shock to hear of her murder last September. We met at Millersville- the old National Center for Homeopathy "summer school" in Pennsylvania in 1982. Our situation was unique; we were both there to attend the professional course and neither of us were health care professionals. We both hoped to become homeopathic practitioners, however, and the two of us spent hours and hours talking late into the night during those weeks about practicing, about homeopathy, about our futures. A strong friendship was established in a very short time that lasted through many changes in both our lives.
 My first memory of Martha is of meeting her eyes during that Millersville course. She gave me a small, somewhat amused smile that said, "never mind that we've never met. We know each other and we know why we're here." It was the same smile she greeted me with over the years, when we'd meet in airports, offices and at conferences. We took different career paths in the end. I became a practitioner and Martha worked and studied in a variety of settings, including the Ehrhart and Karl Pharmacy in Chicago. Her last position was as media liaison for the National Center for Homeopathy. She also devoted a great deal of time to her other interests and a number of causes. She was active in environmental issues and was a pioneer and quiet force in women's music-she produced concerts, radio programs and was manager and producer for the musician, Sirani Avadis.
 Martha was not the type of person one would expect to frequent the entertainment world, however. Nor was she a typical public relations person. Yet, she was well suited for her media relations job for the NCH. In addition to having a deep love and understanding for homeopathy, she understood people, systems and the big political picture; therefore, she was able to communicate very effectively with the media about homeopathy. She was also a keen observer of people and their actions in a caring way, yet detached enough to provide useful information to the people she advised. Martha was one of the first people I consulted about political issues in the homeopathic community because her perspective was balanced and contained enough humor to help keep others balanced.
 Her manner was quiet and because of this, Martha was never the focus of attention at large homeopathic events. She was also not particularly well known by some in our community. But those who knew her were always happy when she was present or available, because not only did she know what was going on in any given situation, she had the means to help accomplish what needed to be done. There were countless times when I'd say, "but how can we do that?"-and she would orchestrate it without any fuss. Again, in a very understated way, Martha was a strong and effective supporter of professional homeopaths.
 Martha was clearly very generous. She gave financial support to many organizations, and she gave her time, energy and spirit in abundance without asking for, or expecting, much in return. Had she lived, her plan was to investigate joining a spiritual order where she would have lived half of the year in a monastery and half of the year in the world in service to others. This was appealing because it would have provided her with solitude and the opportunity to give of herself freely.
 I believe Martha was an excellent role model for us all, not only in terms of what she was able to give, but also in how she lived her life. She was able to explore and attend to her passions in the way most people only wish they could. Whether it was helping shape women's rock 'n roll music or influencing how Newsweek wrote about homeopathy, she did it with the kind of energy that has a lasting effect.
 Martha was one of the most thoughtful people I've ever known, and among the better friends I've had in my life. Along with the hundreds of others from West Coast to East Coast, who feel the same way, I miss her very much.
 Martha was 47. She grew up in Ohio, attended boarding school in Connecticut and graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1972. She lived most of her adult life near Yellow Springs, Ohio, a community that she greatly influenced. She is survived by her parents Mary and Robert Oelman, a sister, Kathryn, and two brothers Bradford and Robert, Jr. Donations can be made in her memory to the National Center for Homeopathy.