Martha Shaw "Muffie" Macleod

Martha Churchill Shaw MacLeod died on August 10, 2021, in Roanoke, Virginia, eighteen days short of her 95th birthday. Always known as Muffie, she grew up in Verona, NJ, the third of four children and the daughter of remarkable parents. Although she experienced both the Great Depression and WWII, she also thrived as a precocious, musical, and athletic child. Her family home was a neighborhood favorite as her father worked for RCA and they owned one of the first commercial television sets in the 1930s. Yankee-Red Sox games were big events filling their home with excitement and wonder. After graduating from the University of Vermont where she was a biology major and joined Pi Beta Phi, she worked at Schering Pharmaceuticals where she met Bob MacLeod, another aspiring scientist. After they married, they moved to Durham, NC where Bob completed his PhD at Duke University, followed by a move to Charlottesville, Virginia where he and Muffie worked together on his groundbreaking work in endocrinology at the University of Virginia. Along their path, they had four daughters who to this day laugh about being made to wear bobby socks longer than anyone else and had the earliest curfews of all their friends. Muffie leaves a legacy of leadership. She always seemed to end up as the president of any organization she joined at UVa and in the community. Leading Brownie Troops was one post she gladly passed on after ten years of meetings in her basement. She was a member of PEO and Charlottesvilles University League, president of UVas Womens Club, was passionate about Reading for the Blind, active in the music culture at UVa, and an Elder at the Westminster Presbyterian Church, among other activities. Despite her busy civic life, she managed to be home every afternoon when the girls came home from school. She was an amazing cook and hostess for many international colleagues, ahead of her time in promoting fresh vegetables and exercise, a stickler for thank-you notes and an effortless gardener. Her gardenia plant legacies live far and wide across the country. She and Bob travelled extensively as part of his work and for pleasure, and she celebrated herself as an honorary Italian citizen. Her role in renovating a farm and house outside of Charlottesville at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains was accomplished in stride where she was part veterinarian to a herd of Black Angus cows, managed a huge vegetable garden, and gave shelter to the various cats and dogs that daughters brought home. Muffie moved to Roanoke Va. in 2012 to be closer to family. She made new friends with the residents and staff in her retirement community, walking every day and completing crossword puzzles as long as she could. She leaves her four daughters, Cindy MacLeod (Doug Harnsberger) in Swarthmore, PA, Wendy Murphy (Jim) of Hanover, NH, Jinny Buchanan (David) of Greensboro, NC, and Lolly Quigley (Jim) of Roanoke Va.; seven grandchildren (known as Grandmuffie a master sandcastle builder on many beaches) and two great-grandchildren. Anyone who knew her, knew that these were the most precious eleven elements in her life. She lived by example for her family and we honor her legacy by living well and laughing with one another whenever possible. A service is planned in Charlottesville at a later date. Service Details. Interment Location Westminister Presbyterian Church Columbarium Address 400 Rugby Rd. Charlottesville, VA 22903