Martha Catherine Wroe, professor emerita at the University of Florida, passed away on April 23, 2024. She was 102 years old.
Wroe was a World War II veteran, serving in the United States Army and treating wounding soldiers from 1943 to 1946. After she was discharged, she began a five-decades long career as a practicing physical therapist and educator. In 1959, she became the first physical therapist and director of physical therapy at Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida. She also joined faculty at the University of Florida where she co-founded the department of physical therapy and taught for 17 years. During her career, she was an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association, holding numerous leadership and committee positions. In recognition of her many accomplishments, the University of Florida established the annual Martha Wroe Clinical Performance Award, which honors a student’s outstanding efforts in clinical practice.
Wroe held a bachelor’s degree in biology from Western Kentucky University and a master’s degree in physical therapy from Stanford University in California. She also received a clinical physical therapy education at the University of Wisconsin while serving in the United States Army.