Martina “Marti” Nowak passed away peacefully at home in Overland Park, Kansas, on Friday, October 23, 2026, surrounded by loving family. Born on November 10, 1951, in Mettmann, Germany, Marti later immigrated to New York City and went on to build a life defined by love, dedication, compassion, and a remarkable commitment to caring for others.
Marti was the devoted wife of Frank Joseph Nowak, with whom she shared more than 53 years of marriage. She was the cherished mother to Jennifer Huddin and Jessica Sztabnik, and a beloved Oma to Alexis and Derek Huddin and Owen and Evan Sztabnik. Her family was the heart of her life, and she treasured the many years spent loving, supporting, and celebrating them.
A lifelong achiever, Marti graduated from the University of Denver in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She went on to make history as one of the first women in a management role for Union Pacific Railroad in Omaha, Nebraska, breaking barriers and establishing herself as a capable and determined leader. While devoting herself to raising her two daughters, Marti returned to school to follow her calling in healthcare. In 1987, she graduated from Texas Christian University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, beginning a distinguished nursing career that would span 30 years.
Marti's nursing career reflected her versatility, leadership, and deep compassion for others. She ran a home health agency, worked in cardiac rehabilitation, served as a public-school nurse and provided care in intensive care settings. Her passion for cardiology and cardiac devices became a defining focus in the later years of her career, including her work in starting and developing a device clinic for one of the largest cardiology groups in the Kansas City area, leaving a lasting impact on the patients and colleagues she served. After three decades of nursing, she retired in 2017, having dedicated much of her professional life to improving and enriching the lives of others.
Throughout her adult life, Marti lived and worked across the United States, forming lasting connections wherever she went. From Colorado and Nebraska to California, Texas, Missouri and Kansas, she was adored by her patients, colleagues, friends, and neighbors. Her intelligence, determination, warmth, and caring spirit touched countless lives, and the relationships she built along the way were a testament to the person she was.
Marti will be remembered not only for her professional accomplishments and pioneering spirit, but also for her devotion to her family and the compassion she extended to those around her. Her legacy lives on in the family she cherished, the lives she touched, and the many people who were fortunate enough to know and love her.
Visitation will be 5:00 - 7:00 PM, Thursday, November 5, 2026 at the Porter Funeral Home, 8535 Monrovia Street, Lenexa, KS. Funeral Mass will be 10:30 AM Friday, November 6, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 13615 West 92nd Street, Lenexa, KS. Burial to follow at Resurrection Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to The American Cancer Society.