Mrs. Martha Willett Kulsveen ascended peacefully from her home on Tuesday, May 6th. She is survived by her husband (Even), daughter (Britt), daughter in law (Janelle), son (Drew), son in law (Casey), three grandchildren and her beloved brothers, sisters, neighbors and Willett Distillery family. 

Born on June 18, 1947 to Thompson and Virgina Willett, Martha was raised a stone’s throw from My Old Kentucky Home. The Willett family’s affinity for hospitality was ingrained in Martha and each of her siblings at an early age. It was through the open doors of the inviting Beechwold house that Even G. Kulsveen first entered Martha’s life. There began the love story of a lifetime. Married on December 16, 1972 at Saint Joseph’s Cathedral, Martha and Even bore two children raised on lasagna and dry humor. 

Martha graduated from Western Kentucky University and promptly began serving the most vulnerable children in our community as a social worker, impacting the lives of countless families with her fearless support. In 1984, alongside Even, Martha turned her focus to honoring her father’s spirited legacy by taking on the family-owned and operated Willett Distillery where the influence of her warmth and tradition of hospitality live on. 

In work, she earned the title President, but she considered her greatest title to be GaGa, as that was the name her grandchildren chose for her. With excitement for GaGa, their grandchildren, alongside nieces and nephews, flocked to Martha. 

Always seen with her signature sunglasses. For Martha, the sun always shines bright on her old Kentucky home. 

Visitation for Mrs. Martha will be at Houghlin-Greenwell Funeral Home on Monday, 10am-12:30pm.,1475 New Shepherdsville Rd, Bardstown, KY 40004. Services to celebrate Martha’s full life will take place Monday, May 12 at St. Thomas Catholic Church with public visitation from 10 AM to noon and Mass at 1PM. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made in Mrs. Martha’s honor to St. Joseph’s Children’s Home at 2823 Frankfort Ave., Louisville, Ky. or online at sjkids.org.