Martha Jane Rish of Fleming Island, Fl went to Heaven to be with Jesus Christ on May 26, 2026 after a prolonged battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

She is survived by her son Christopher Rish and daughter-in -law Marta Glazier of St. Petersburg, FL, and by her daughter Allison Rish-Salazar and son-in-law Travis Salazar of Goliad, TX, and by sister Ann Sykes and spouse Roger Sykes (deceased) of Gainesville, FL, and by sister Terrie McDaniel and spouse Larry McDaniel of Winlock, WA. She has four grandchildren, two boys and two girls, who all live in Florida, and two bonus grandsons.

Martha Jane was born in Muskegon, MI to Glenna Irene Friday and Donald LeRoy Friday on May 22, 1945. She spent her youth in Indiana where her parents ran a Dairy Queen/ A and W Root beer stand. She helped her family run the business during lunch and after school. Her father moved the family to Siesta Key in Sarasota, FL in the early sixties. There she helped her parents run a motel on the beach called Sandy Shoes. Jane graduated from Sarasota Riverview HS in 1963.

Jane attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where she joined the Chi Omega Sorority. Her picture was showcased in a University of Florida beauty calendar. While attending UF, she met the father of her two children, (a resident in otolaryngology medicine) Ronald Lee Rish Jr. at Shands Hospital as she was finishing up her degree in occupational therapy.

Jane spent her career helping handicapped and special needs children as an Occupational Therapist within the Clay and Duval County School Systems. She was passionate about bringing educational technology to students during the 90’s to help them better communicate. Jane left a legacy as an annual award for the most outstanding OT in Duval County Schools has been established in her name. It reads the Jane Rish Award of Excellence for exemplifying integrity, service, compassion, and teamwork.

As a longtime resident of Fleming Island, she was an active member at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church. She wrote a grant for the old chapel roof and was involved in some of the construction of the new church. Her family name is on a stained glass window in St. Margaret’s old church.

She cherished her home of thirty years on the St. John’s River where she enjoyed

watching water birds and nature. She loved to host parties. She was known in the neighborhood for her gourmet cooking and for her annual homemade gingerbread house building Christmas parties for the neighborhood kids.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a set of triplets who passed shortly after their birth, many beloved friends, and her dear partner and best friend Presley Schrader.

Her memorial service will be held at St. Mary’s Church 400 St. John’s Avenue Green Cove Springs, Fl at 10 am on Friday, June 19th. Her celebration of life will be held directly afterwards at 11:30 at The Club Continental 2143 Astor Street, Orange Park, FL. All are welcome to attend!

Since her family lives out of town, please donate in lieu of flowers to:

Community Hospice and Palliative Care of Jacksonville, FL

https://thefoundationcares.org/give/

The Alzheimer’s Association

https://www.alz.org/?form=FUNXNDBNWRP