Martha Lillard, 78, died quietly at home in Shawnee, Oklahoma, on July 10, 2026. She had polio since her youth. The disease left her needing a substantial metal breathing machine called an iron lung. She used the machine for over 60 years. Doctors later verified her death. No one in the US still depends on such respirators today. The iron lung, once widely used, is now a few remaining in the United States. Her story remains a reminder of the challenges faced by polio survivors. She lived through many years of change in respiratory care. She remained in the care of dedicated family members. Her courage moved local medical historians. The community remembered her with a quiet gathering. Her life spanned the era from the 20-century polio outbreak to modern vaccine breakthroughs. She outlived most of her contemporaries. The iron lung that sustained her has become a showpiece.