Marta Alto's Obituary
Marta Alto, an icon in the sewing industry, passed May 10, 2024. Born in Seattle January 6th, 1945 to a civil engineer Mark Westling and Olive (Parsons) an artist. Her family eventually landed in Eugene where her father worked as a government consultant at the University of Oregon in urban planning. She soon had two siblings Molly and John. Through her young years she found passion and inspiration in fashion. She learned how to sew at age 10 and through high school and college realized she not only had the creativity but the technical talent to excel in the trade.
Her formal education started at Oregon State in the home economics program. During college Marta worked at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival learning costume design in the summer. Her first official job was at San Francisco State College in the drama department working as an assistant costume designer. In 1967 she married and had her son Chris. Soon, she became a single mother and to have more flexibility for her son she was hired to create the couture designer boutique at the Crest Room, a clothing department at Meier & Frank in downtown Portland, as shared in an article in the Oregonian in 1973.
This career move ended up being the start of a long career in the sewing industry with her footprint having a direct impact in modernizing the field. Soon Palmer/Pletsch was formed and Marta joined Pati Palmer as a long standing business associate. Marta married Jerry Alto, a video producer, in 1974 and they had a daughter Anastasia. Marta travelled across the US, Canada and Australia providing instruction for their famous 4 day workshops. Palmer/Pletsch provided sewing instruction that allows the hobbyist to create clothes that truly look ready-made. While at the company, Marta was instrumental in creating a large instructional video library (with her husband Jerry), instruction books, and sewing notions. Marta was an innovator who worked in the sewing industry for 49 years, retiring at 76.
Marta was a forever friend staying connected with old and new friends over the phone and with correspondence. She was always busy if not traveling, working on books, or preparing for workshops she filled her free time needlepointing, embroidering, reading, quilting, and gardening. Marta made 100's of angels with her embroidery machine that she shared as holiday ornaments. She was a creative cook who knew how to throw together ingredients to impress. She was a musical and jazz lover who could be caught singing in tune to musicals.
Soon she had grandchildren Maddox, Odin, and Mathilda and loved visiting with them while making cookies, going to the coast, and making stuffed animals. Her contagious laugh will be missed by her husband Jerry, son Chris Alto and daughter-in-law Sandy, her daughter Anastasia Alto and son-in-law Corey Blodgett, her sister Molly Brann and brother-in-law Dave Brann, and brother John Westling. She touched so many in her life and work.
There will be a memorial to celebrate her life Saturday June 8th, 2024 from 1-5pm at McMenamins Cornelius Pass Roadhouse, Octagonal Barn & Barnyard, 4045 NE Cornelius Pass Rd, Hillsboro, OR. Hors d'oeuvre and refreshments will be provided. The family asks that in lieu of flowers donations can be directed to a scholarship program in her honor for the Apparel Design program at Oregon State University. Donations can be made online at the OSU Foundation website— http://osufoundation.org/. They can also be mailed to the OSU Memorial Fund, 4238 SW Research Way, Corvallis, OR, 97333.
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