She Wandered into Lincoln and Stayed
By Randy Bretz
“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.”
This poem by J.R.R. Tolkien contains a quote that has been a guide to Marthaellen Florence. A favorite quote she often shares is, “Not all those who wander are lost.” Each phrase, in one way or another, describes her. Although the first line could use some adjustment. Marthaellen, glitters even in the most mundane situation. She wandered into Lincoln from Des Moines in 1975 to attend UNL, and since that time has never been lost. Recently, she rose from the ashes of the Federal Executive Institute, which shut down in 2025.
My first encounter with this strong woman was nearly 45 years ago when she was a glittering light in the studios of Nebraska Educational TV. In those days NETV raised support from viewers with an on-air fundraising auction that lasted several days. Marthaellen moved around the studio describing auction items on-air, helping raise money for NETV.
As years passed, our paths crossed from time to time. As a producer and leader at NETV, Marthaellen created programs that explored topics such as the challenges of at-risk and foster care youth. Not only did she produce programs that inspired viewers, she plugged into Lincoln through leadership at the Malone Center.
During the production of “The State of Education in Nebraska,” Marthaellen coordinated the efforts of 18 community partners and helped spark conversations about education in cities and towns across Nebraska. Her role as producer of sports programming at NETV also included involvement with the University of Nebraska, teaching life skills to student athletes. A love of Jazz included leadership of Lincoln’s internationally famous Jazz in June series for more than 25 years.
When most of us would have sought a less engaged life, Marthaellen joined the faculty of the Federal Executive Institute after retiring from NETV. In that position she provided inspiration and guidance for leaders of our Federal Government, not just in the United States, but across the globe. And when that endeavor was shut down, she wandered back to Lincoln and joined the staff at Leadership Lincoln as Director of Programming and Leadership Development. Recently she was honored as the Lincoln Inspire Awards recipient for Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership.
You might say that Marthaellen Florence has wandered a great deal as you examined her adult life, but she isn’t and has never been lost.
Randy Bretz is well past 55, and he enjoys life as a father, grandfather, great-grandfather, storyteller, author, professor, communicator, and civic activist.