Martha Bonnell Hand Sheldon

Martha Bonnell Hand Sheldon, 79, of Cedarville, MA was a loving wife, mother, sister, aunt and grandmother. She was also a conservationist, a talented artist, and avid cook. Known for her inquiring mind and gregarious nature, Martha’s happiest times were spent out-of-doors, bird-watching or swimming, or sharing a boisterous meal with her close community of family and friends.  Martha died on August 9, 2024, following a car accident.
Born on September 15, 1944, Martha grew up in Rock Harbor in Orleans, MA, in the summer home of her grandfather. She was the youngest of the tight-knit Bonnell family that included older sisters Stephanie and Sheila, parents Richard Lee & Sylvia Swensen Bonnell, and Grampa Harry. Martha spent much of her youth out-of-doors and amongst the family animals—sundry dogs and puppies that her mother raised and several horses often ridden bareback on the bay flats. Martha also distinguished herself in 4-H horse shows as a blue-ribbon equestrian.
  Deep curiosity made Martha an excellent student, a life-long learner, and with her husband Brian, an avid traveler. She loved nothing more than to share her rich knowledge with others, particularly her children and grandchildren. A graduate of Nauset High, she attended Smith College and Rhode Island School of Design, receiving a bachelor’s degree from Boston University.  She later earned a certificate in wetlands management from the University of Washington Extension. Throughout her life Martha continued to educate herself, often matching professionals with her knowledge of natural and human history, which included everything from dinosaurs, early hominids, and birds, to the World War II Pacific Theater.
  In addition to her talent as a visual artist, Martha was also a patron of the performing arts, a passion she passed on to her children and grandchildren. She loved to dance and, for a time, was a proud member of her church choir in Wareham, MA. Martha brought her artistic sensibility to everything she did, from her beautifully cultivated pollinator gardens to designing newsletters and logos for the non-profits she supported. Before her death, Martha had recently returned to her art, capturing birds in their native habitats with her camera.
  In her professional capacity, Martha worked as a graphic designer, an art and substitute teacher, and finally as an executive assistant at Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, where she met her husband Brian. After retiring, she became a member of the Board of Directors at the Herring Pond Watershed Association in Cedarville. She was also a Council Member with the Nuttall Ornithological Club in Cambridge, MA. She and Brian were often busy plying the shores of the Monomoy Wildlife Refuge, participating in bird counts and leading shore-bird tours right up until her untimely passing.
Generous of spirit, and full of life, Martha worked to make the world a better place in both her professional and volunteer work. She was steadfast in a crisis and always ready to lend a helping hand. But her most enduring impact was the deep relationships she formed with family and friends throughout her life. She was the life of the party, lighting up a room with her bright presence and hearty laugh. She was a devoted mother and beloved grandmother who alternately spoiled, guided and educated her grandchildren about, of course, all things avian. Her relationship with her two sisters was another important touchstone, the lifelong bond among the three resolute and mutually supportive.
Before marrying Brian, Martha was married to Robert Hand of Orleans, and then Charlie Sheldon of Seattle, WA.
  In addition to Brian, Martha leaves behind her three children: daughter Justine Hand, her husband Chad Updyke of Newton, MA, and their children, Oliver and Solvi Updyke; son John (Jack) Sheldon, his wife, Maggie Sheldon of Portland, OR, and their children Lucy and Wyatt Sheldon; and son Oskar Sheldon of Nazare, Portugal.She also leaves sisters Stephanie Perrin and Sheila Bonnell and their spouses Jessie Shefrin and Moncrieff Cochran of Orleans, MA; and nephews Jesse Perrin of Onset, MA and Jon Blake, along with his wife Felicia of Rock Harbor, Orleans, MA  and their three children: Christopher, and Ryan of Cotuit, MA, and Taylor of Falmouth, MA.
A memorial service is being planned for this fall, in Orleans.
  Please send any contributions in her memory to Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, P.O. Box 236, South Wellfleet, MA 02663.