Dr. Martha A. "Martu" Fleishman

Martu Fleishman, born February 13, 1944, in Knoxville, Tennessee, to Martha Alice “Peach” and Pratt Ringland, and raised by Martha Alice “Peach” and Herb Mitchem, passed away on January 22, 2026, after a lengthy and courageous battle with dementia.

She was the mother of six children with her husband, Charles (“Chuck”) Fleishman. She instilled in her children the importance of education and a responsibility to care for others, particularly those who are marginalized—values that reflected her deeply held beliefs and helped shape how her children see the world.

A recovering alcoholic, she lived nearly 45 years in sobriety, a commitment that shaped the course of her life. Through Alcoholics Anonymous, she found community, purpose, and a calling. Helping others recover from addiction became her life’s mission. She supported friends in AA, worked with teenagers struggling with substance use, and served as a drug and alcohol recovery counselor within the penal system at the Lucas County Jail. She believed deeply in second chances and in meeting people where they were, offering both accountability and compassion.

Education was central to her identity. At the age of 62, she earned her PhD from the University of Toledo in the field of Educational Theories and Social Foundations, an accomplishment she was deeply proud of.

Her everyday joys were simple and unmistakably hers: drinking coffee and diet pop, smoking cigarettes, gardening, listening to music (Barbra Streisand, The Beatles, Pink Floyd), going to movies, visiting with friends, reading and buying books, caring for her animals, and, later in life, thrift shopping.

She leaves behind her immediate legacy of six children- Sima Leah (Yisroel) Duato, Nancy Fleishman, Benjamin (Carrie) Fleishman, Ailie (Mark) Fasnacht, Elana (Tim) Campbell, and Sarah Abigail Fleishman; thirteen grandchildren and two grandchildren-in-law, and one great-grandson. She is also survived by her sister Sally (Terry) Smith, four cousins, and four nephews.

Services and interment will be held on Friday, January 23, 2026 at 12 noon in the chapel at Beth Shalom Cemetery, Oregon, Ohio.

Shiva will be observed on Monday, January 26, 2026 from 3:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at the Chabad House of Toledo 2728 King Road Toledo, OH. 43617.

Shiva will also be observed in the Detroit area with times and locations to be shared in the near future. 

In memory of Martu, in lieu of flowers, she would love donations to be made to the Toledo Humane Society. https://toledohumane.org/give

Another organization that her family would love to see supported would be the Jewish Federation of Detroit for all of the support they provided her during her struggle with Dementia. 
https://jewishdetroit.org/send-a-tribute/
 

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