12 April 1938 – 24 April 2016
Martha Laffaye passed away on April 24, 2016, after a painful struggle with metastatic lung cancer. Martha was a breast cancer survivor and had recovered from a disabling brain stroke. Martha Susan Headen-James was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on April 12, 1938, the first child and only daughter of John Arthur and Maria Magdalena Headen-James. She married Dr. Horace Laffaye in 1961 and they emigrated to the United States in 1962. Martha chaired several polo game benefits at the Fairfield County Hunt Club in Westport, including the American Cancer Society, Leukemia Society of America, Save the Children Federation, New England Institute, University of Bridgeport and several other charities. She also hosted polo teams from Argentina, the Dominican Republic, Canada, Pakistan and Great Britain. Over the years, she enjoyed accompanying her husband while traveling to surgical meetings in several countries. Throughout her life, she enjoyed visiting polo clubs, from Europe to New Zealand and Hawaii to the Caribbean. Indeed, only four days before her passing, she attended the Semi Finals of the US Open in Florida with Horace and Patrick.
To honour her, a moment of silence was observed prior to the Final at International Polo Club, Palm Beach, just a few hours after her passing.
She is survived by her husband, her son Patrick, daughter Gisele, son-in-law Trent Pansze, M.D., and grand children Martina, Derek and Grace Pansze, Mark and Todd Laffaye, and her cousin Lucille Brookes. A private burial took place and a celebration of her life was held at the Country Club of Fairfield on 7 May.
http://www.polotimes.co.uk/?pg=35