Marty Headlee

Marty Headlee, 81, passed away peacefully on September 5, 2022 at his home in Galena, OH. Marty was also a resident of The Villages, Florida for the past 17 years. He was born in Columbus, OH on March 19, 1941 to Murray and June Headlee. He graduated from South High School in 1958 and attended The Ohio State University.

Marty and his wife, Sue, were avid sailors and boaters. They met when Sue was 10 and Marty was 12 and started sailing together when Sue was 13 and Marty was 15. A natural competitor, he was the Columbus, Ohio yo-yo champion at age 15. He loved racing competitively, sailing in the Lightning class for most of his life. He also competed in 9 Bayview to Mackinac races. When their kids came along, they stopped sailing for a few years and Marty got involved in English Springer Spaniel Field Trials, winning an Amateur All-American championship in 1978. Marty and Sue got back into sailing, passing on their love of the sport to their children and grandchildren. He was a lifelong member of Buckeye Lake Yacht Club and a past member of Lake Lanier Sailing Club.

After a fulfilling 33-year career with the Ross Products division of Abbott Laboratories, Marty retired to spend more time with family, friends and his hobbies. A longtime boater on Lake Erie, Marty and Sue spent summers on their boat traveling the Great Lakes from Lake Superior to the canals and locks of New York and Canada. He was a member of the Great Lakes Cruising Club and enjoyed the many friends they met during their travels. They spent winters in Florida where they have many great friends as well. Marty, unable to sit still, also helped his son open his printing company in 2001 with Marty becoming the top salesman and bringing in all of the best customers.

Marty was an outdoorsman. He loved sailing, boating, fishing, hunting, water skiing, snow skiing and ice skating. He enjoyed woodworking and tinkering in his workshop. There wasn’t anything Marty couldn’t fix or repair. Most of all, he loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. He took them fishing, helped build pinewood derby cars, and attended as many of their sporting events and sailing regattas as possible. He hosted epic family vacations to the Outer Banks and Destin.

Marty will be dearly missed by his loving wife of 52 years, Sue Headlee; daughter, Tami (Vic) Schroeder; son, Chad (Stephanie) Headlee; grandchildren; Susannah, Katy, Lily, Abby, Clayton, Gabe, Christian and Preston; his sister, LaRae Peters; and many cousins, nephews and nieces.

Family will receive friends on Thursday, September 15, 2022 from 4pm-7pm at SCHOEDINGER NORTHEAST, 1051 E Johnstown Rd, Gahanna. A funeral service will take place on Friday, September 16, 2022 at 11am at the funeral home. Family will receive friends from 10am until the start of the service.

A celebration of life will immediately follow the funeral on Friday at Eastside Brewing Company in Reynoldsburg, OH. Food and beverages will be provided.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made in Marty’s name to the Inter-Lake Yachtsmen’s Fund at Yachtsmensfund.org or 433 N. Broad St. Lancaster, OH 43130.