ATSSA The Signal Nov/Dec 2019

American Traffic Safety Services Association 30 The Foundation The American Traffic Safety Services Foundation exists to promote roadway safety through charitable giving and public awareness programs. The ATSS Foundation’s Core Purpose KeithWeed reflects on a vividmemory of his father, Marty, that made a big impact on his life. During a family trip toHawaii inApril 2018, the two discussed the future as they sat on a porch overlooking the ocean. “Life’s too short,” Marty told Keith, who recalled their conversation. “You don’t want to be at 55 or 65 or 70 or some- thing looking back on life and be upset you didn’t do something or upset that you didn’t take this risk in life andmake yourself better.” Marty had battled cancer for nine years and in December 2018 he passed away at age 55. Keith, now age 34, made a decision to leave his job and pursue his education further—a decision inspired by his father’s advice at the beach. “Hehada very largeheart,” Keith reflected. “He wanted to make sure that things he believed in were taken care of and the people he loved were taken care of.” “That describes dadpretty perfectly,” said Ana, Marty’s daughter, who remembers her father as her “best friend.” Marty was more than just a hero to his children. The longtime ATSSA member and former statework zone engineer for the Washington Department of Trans- portation (WSDOT) was an icon in his 33-year career in the roadway safety infrastructure industry. An amazing gift “Hewould honestly give you his last dollar … he was just that type of person,” Ana boasted of her father. Two years beforeMarty passed away, he sold a rental property and worked with financial planners, advisors, and lawyers to plan the estate hewould leave behind, according to Keith. “It’s an amazing giftmy father gavemyself andmy sister,” Keith said. “He knew that his time was coming and he did every- thing he could to make sure everything was set up and ready to go so it would be as easy as possible when he did pass.” In addition to including his children in his estate,Marty planned to leave adonation to The ATSS Foundation. After being diag- nosed with cancer, he withdrewmoney from several life insurance policies and set it aside for just this purpose. He used someof it to funda scholarship that could provide one of the same opportunities to engineers starting in their careers that he valued—attending ATSSA’s Annual Convention & Traffic Expo. “That was always his goal—to see his friends at the ATSSA expos and confer- ences,” Ana said. In 2018, Marty worked with ATSSA, The ATSS Foundation, friends, and colleagues Impacting future generations Marty Weed’s children reflect on his legacy to The ATSS Foundation Marty Weed (center) is encircled by his family during their trip to Hawaii in April 2018. Weed pictured with son, Keith Weed, and daughter, Ana Day.