Martha was born January 3, 1928 to Oscar Goldsmith Davis and Martha Boynton Davis in Atlanta, GA, at the Wesley Memorial Hospital of Emory University. She spent the majority of her youth in Atlanta, other than several years in Boston, MA, where her father was employed by the Coca Cola Company. While in Boston, she attended the Winsor School, a college preparatory school for girls, prior to matriculating at Sweet Briar College in Virginia. There she received a Bachelor of Arts degree, with a major in Spanish language studies. After returning to Atlanta, she met and married Dr. Waddell Barnes of Macon, GA. Martha resided in Macon and raised her three children there until moving back to Atlanta in 1988.

Martha was very involved in family life as well as in civic and community activities. She was a long-term member of the Junior League of Macon, serving as president, vice-president and secretary. She was an enthusiastic supporter of the Macon Museum of Arts and Sciences and served as a volunteer at the Museum for many years. Martha was a passionate conservationist and supported a number of environmental organizations, including the Georgia Conservancy and the Nature Conservancy. She had a great love of travel, particularly to Hispanic countries, whose language and culture she adored. She enjoyed speaking Spanish, as well as teaching the language to young children as a volunteer at the Atlanta Speech School after returning to Atlanta. Later, in 2010, Martha moved to New Hampshire to be closer to her daughter, Sarah, and continued to enjoy regional travel and outdoor activities as long as she was able. She passed away peacefully in Lebanon, New Hampshire on Sunday, October 4, 2020.

Martha considered her greatest accomplishment to be her children and grandchildren, whose lives she enriched with her attention, her generosity, her dedication and her humility. She is survived by her brother, Oscar S. Davis, of Atlanta; her 3 children, David Waddell Barnes, Sarah Swift Barnes, and Allen Davis Barnes; 7 grandchildren; and a growing number (3 +) of great-grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by all whose lives she touched.

A private family remembrance will be held in her memory in the spring.