Karla Leslie Martel died peacefully on August 11 at Wingate Silver Lake Nursing Home in Kingston, with her family by her side. She had suffered traumatic brain injury resulting from an accidental fall on February 1. She was 77.

She was born on Feb. 22, 1944 in San Francisco, Calif., where her mother, Margaret Martin Bishop, lived while her father, Dr. Ernest Wade Bishop, was stationed in the Philippines while serving in the U.S. Army. She grew up in Providence and graduated from Hope High School.

Karla moved to the Vineyard in the early 1960s with her husband Roy Martel. She worked for many years at Brickman’s and the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, where she had great friendships and was loved for her great sense of humor and funny personality. She lived on-Island until 2008, when she moved to Plymouth to be closer to her children.

Her marriage to Mr. Martel dissolved and she later became the companion of 25 years to Orland S. M. (Orlie) Alwardt, who died in November 2007.

Karla managed living with multiple sclerosis and still enjoyed many years of traveling with Orlie, making memories about which she loved to reminisce. She loved gardening, her Koi pond, swimming, long days at State Beach, bird watching, bike riding around Martha’s Vineyard, watching the Oak Bluffs fireworks from Ocean Park, bingo and listening to live entertainment.

Most of all, she loved her family. Her most recent and greatest joy was meeting and spending time with her great-granddaughter Emmy and her great-nephew Enzo.

She is survived by her daughters, Laurie Sexton of Dennis, and Bethany Bongarzone and her husband David Bongarzone of Kingston; her son, Roy Martel of Sandwich; granddaughter Brittanie Sexton and her fiance Jonathan Cotell and great-granddaughter Emmerson Cotell of Wareham; nephew David Guilmain and his fiance Jennifer Mattar of Coventry, R.I.; and niece Melissa Ferrara and husband Vincent Ferrara and great-nephew Vincenzo Ferrara of North Scituate, R.I.

She was predeceased by her sister, Erika Guilmain and her husband David Guilmain; her aunt, Allison Martin Rough and her husband David R. Rough Jr.; and her former husband, Roy Martel.

Visitation will be held at Chapman Funerals and Cremations in Oak Bluffs on Thursday, August 19 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., followed by a funeral mass at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Oak Bluffs at 11 a.m. Interment will be in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Oak Bluffs.

Donations can be made to the Multiple Sclerosis Society at nationalmssociety.org/donate. Please visit www.chapmanfuneral.com for her tribute page and information.