Martha Clayton Bethke of Blanco, TX passed away at her home at the age of 98 on March 07, 2025.

She was born in Houston, Texas on February 06, 1927, to William L. Clayton and Ruth Kathleen Pitts. She grew up in Richmond and graduated from Richmond High School in the class of 1945. She graduated from Southwest Texas State Teachers College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in education and a teacher's certification in 1962.

In 1946 she married Ernest Oscar Bethke, Jr. of San Marcos. They had two sons Eric Lloyd Bethke and Gregory Bruce Bethke.

Mrs. Bethke worked for The San Marcos Record as a reporter and photographer for six years. While she was still working towards a Bachelor of Science degree, she was hired by the Blanco School as a teacher. She spent thirty-four years as a teacher and administrator for Blanco ISD. After she retired in 1994, she was asked by the Blanco ISD to return. She returned to work as a consultant for the district for four more years and retired again in 1998.

She was a lifelong member of the Texas State Teachers Association and was listed in the who's who in Texas Education in 1975-1976. She was also a member of Delta Kappa Gamma.

In the Summer of 1970, Mrs. Bethke was one of seventy-five teachers in the state chosen to study students with Dyslexia at SWTSC under the professorship of Dr. Zedler.

Mrs. Bethke received a Masters Degree in administration from Our Lady of the University in San Antonio in May 1980.

Martha was known to say she would teach school even if they couldn't pay her. She loved her career.

Mrs. Bethke was an administrator, she was instrumental in beginning the reading program in Kindergarten. She also implemented the Content Mastery Program in grades 1-12 in Blanco ISD. This is a program where the Special Education student may remain in the regular classroom and go to the Content Mastery room as needed as opposed to the student doing all their work in the special education classroom and never being with regular classroom students. She also started the after-school program for students who needed help with study skills.

Mrs. Bethke was an inspiration to her students and respected by students, parents, and staff.

She is preceded in death by her husband E.O (Buddy Bethke). She is survived by two sons Eric Lloyd Bethke of Blanco and Gregory Bruce Bethke of San Marcos and seven grandchildren: Daniel Campbell Bethke and wife Samantha Bethke, Candice Campbell Bethke Escobedo, Bryan Campbell Bethke, Lisa Rae Barber and husband Richard Barber, Samuel Elliot Bethke, Maxwell Cooper Bethke, Jessie Rose Bethke and ten great-grandchildren, Gisele Escobedo, Mila Escobedo, Tucker Bethke, Mason Bethke, Maddox
Bethke, Beau Barber, Luke Barber, Riley Wilkerson, Colton Wilkerson, and Caden Wilkerson.

Visitation will begin at 10:00 AM Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at Crofts – Crow Funeral Home in Blanco where funeral services will commence at 11:00 AM with Rev. Bryn Caddell officiating.  Martha will be laid to rest in the Blanco Cemetery next to her late husband Buddy.