Martha Atwater, Emmy Award-winning writer for PBS television’s WordWorld and producer of Clifford the Big Red Dog, died Feb. 22, 2013, in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y., after being hit by an out-of-control vehicle. She was 48.
Martha, daughter of Julian ’53 and the late Patricia Carr Atwater, grew up in Rochester, N.Y., and attended Allendale Columbia School. At Princeton she majored in English. Martha’s infectious laughter and insightful humor attracted numerous friends. In Wilson College, she roomed in a giant suite affectionately called the Cuckoo’s Nest. Her roommates remember her compassion, effervescence, and sparkling smile. A Cap and Gown member, Martha also spent a semester in London.
After graduation, Martha moved to New York City. As Scholastic Inc.’s vice president of programming, she produced more than 200 half-hour segments of live action and animated programs including Goosebumps and Dear America, among others. Martha recently launched her own company, Oxymoron Print Media, and a blog to showcase her witty writing.
We have lost a wonderful friend, talented writer, and inspiration. Our class sends deepest sympathy to Martha’s beloved husband, Thomas Peter Wallack; daughters Chloe and Olivia; her father; sister Sarah Mayer; and her brothers, John and Stephen, and their families. Memorials may be sent to The Packer Collegiate Institute, 170 Joralemon St., Brooklyn, NY 11201, or www.packer.edu.