Dr. Martha Andrea Aas

Martha Andrea Aas, 88, of Duluth, Minnesota, died peacefully in her sleep on October 8, 2025, of complications related to Parkinson’s disease. Born July 30, 1937, in Aarhus, Denmark, Martha was the child of missionaries Marius Borch-Jensen and Eleanor Christensen. She spent her early childhood in Nazi‑occupied Denmark. After the war her family returned to missionary work; on December 29, 1949, Martha, her parents and her younger sister boarded a steamer for Aden, Yemen, where she lived until 1953. Those years abroad were formative and set her on the path to a life of service and medicine.

Martha returned to Denmark to finish her schooling at Rønde Gymnasium and entered medical school in 1957 with plans to practice overseas. Love would change her plans however when she met Johannes “Hans” Aas; they married in November 1959 and completed their medical training while raising their young family. Martha completed her residency at the Mayo Clinic, where she became the first female chief resident in the pediatric department — an early sign of the trailblazing career that followed.

After a time practicing in Denmark, Martha and Johannes moved their family to Duluth, Minnesota, in 1973. Martha began work at the Duluth Clinic as a Pediatrician. Recognizing the need for neonatal care in northeastern Minnesota, she went on to become board‑certified in neonatology. She was instrumental in developing the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at St. Mary’s Hospital and also helped to establish a follow‑up clinic for premature infants to support their development through the early years. She worked long and demanding hours, flying countless helicopter missions to bring critically ill infants from remote communities across northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan to lifesaving care.

Martha retired at 59 but could not remain idle. In 1997 she boarded the first of many flights to Cameroon to work; she later recruited Hans to join her. Together they played a central role in forming a foundation to support construction of a new hospital in Ngaoundéré.

A gifted musician and lifelong learner, Martha earned a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Liberal Studies with a focus on music. She wrote two memoirs, Pearls on a String and Threads of Hope. She spoke seven languages, maintaining daily language practice in Italian and Arabic on Duolingo until the last month of her life. She found joy in both intellectual and physical challenges — she was an accomplished pianist, an avid sailor, and competed in triathlons into her 70s.

Martha always looked for new challenges. In these pursuits however, she was deeply committed to her husband, her children and her (great) grandchildren in whom she took great pride and joy. She taught us all how to be gracious, to be strong, to be intellectually curious, to have integrity and to embrace the world. Her legacy will live on as future generations carry on her work.

Martha was preceded in death by her parents, Marius Borch-Jensen and Eleanor Christensen, and by her husband, Johannes Aas. She is survived by her children, Michael (Marcia) Aas, Peter (Jane) Aas, and Christine (Kris) Aas‑Larson; grandchildren, Joshua (Michelle) Aas, Kristian Aas, Clara (Joseph) Severson, Gunnar (Grace) Aas, Erik Aas, Bjorn Larson, Axel Aas, and Johannes Larson; and great‑grandchildren Anselm Aas, Jude Severson, Ira Severson, and Emily Faurot.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Sacred Heart Music Center in Duluth on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that those who wish to honor Martha’s memory consider donations to a charity that supports neonatal and maternal health