Life story Mrs. Martha Ellen Alcorn, of Madison, passed away on Thursday March 20, 2008 at Thornton Terrace in Hanover. Born on September 17, 1920, she was the daughter of Lawrence P. and Bertha C. Keelty and a lifelong Madisonian. She graduated from Madison High School and attended Indiana University where she was a member of the Chi Omega Sorority. She had been selected for a lead role in the IU opera when her college career was cut short by illness and World War II. While she was home recuperating, she met a young officer who was training at the Jefferson Proving Ground. She and Merritt O. Alcorn, "Doc", were married at the First Christian Church in Madison, Indiana on December 6, 1942. During World War II, Martha worked at the Jefferson Proving Ground. After the war, she lived in Little Rock, Arkansas and worked as a librarian at the Little Rock Public Library while her husband attended medical school. In 1951, Doc and Martha moved back to Madison where Doc began a general practice of medicine. For many years, Doc and Martha resided on their farm on Ryker's Ridge where they raised their four children. Martha was an active member of Tri Kappa Sorority and the D.A.R. She was a lifelong member of the First Christian Church in Madison where she taught Sunday School and directed the children's choir for many years. Martha loved music and had training in vocal performance, piano and organ. She was a frequent soloist at First Christian Church where she sang in the choir for 60 years, joining at age 9 and retiring at age 69. In addition to her love of music, Martha was an avid reader and instilled this love of books in her children and grandchildren. With her husband, she traveled the world extensively visiting all fifty states, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, Central and South America, the Middle East and Australia. From 1975 until 1989 she was the proprietor of a Trolley Barn shop called the British Isles Import Shop, which carried fine china, crystal, woolens and crafts from the British Isles. She is survived by two daughters: Mary Ellen Caughran and Charlotte Daughhetee of Birmingham, Alabama; two sons: Merritt K. Alcorn and Dr. George Alcorn of Madison, 17 grandchildren: Christopher Alcorn, David Alcorn, Bryan Alcorn, Megan Alcorn, Erin Quigley, Maureen Quigley, John Alcorn, Paul Alcorn, George Alcorn, Mary Charlotte Alcorn, Josh Elston, Jeremy Elston, Christian Barron, Daniel Daughhetee, Jacob Daughhetee, Michael Daughhetee and Patrick Caughran and one great grandchild, Luca Alcorn. She was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years Merritt O. Alcorn, M.D., who passed away on June 16, 2007, her parents and her sister, Mary Keelty Perry. The Reverend Greg Russell will conduct funeral services at 11:00 AM Monday March 24, 2008 at the First Christian Church, 512 West Main Street, Madison, with burial to follow in the Springdale Cemetery. Family and friends may gather from 3 PM to 7 PM Saturday March 22, 2008 at the Lytle Funeral Chapel and after 10 AM Monday at the church. Memorial contributions can be made to the First Christian Church or the Madison Public Library. Memorial envelopes are available at the funeral home or church. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Martha Ellen Alcorn, please visit our floral store.