Furrer-Omlin was born as Martha Omlin in Sachseln, a village in the Swiss canton of Obwalden, on 23 June 1913. She grew up on a farm with her four sisters and two brothers, and would work on the farm after school. As a young adult, she was employed as a waitress in several restaurants.

Furrer-Omlin met her husband, Ambros Furrer, at a costume festival, and the pair were married in 1949 in Sachseln. They had two sons, and rented an apartment in Taubach before purchasing their own property. Her husband was a railwayman, and the couple enjoyed discounted travel as a result, with Ticino being their favourite destination. Furrer-Omlin was widowed in 1989.

Furrer-Omlin was a member of the 13er club in Erstfeld, Uri, which was comprised of people born in 1913 who met regularly and partook in small outings. By the time she reached centenarian status, she had outlived all of her fellow members.

As a centenarian, Furrer-Omlin lived with her two sons in Erstfeld, and enjoyed watching television or traffic on the street. She did not go outside for, as she claimed, her own safety. At the age of 106, she did not require glasses or a hearing aid. At 110, she is the first supercentenarian from the cantons of Obwalden and Uri.