Edwin F Martin

Edwin Frank Martin was born March 3, 1926 in Minneapolis, Minnesota residing in the city of Duluth in his early years.

It was the Great Depression and the family chose to relocate to the Northern Minnesota burg of McGregor and settled on Sandy Lake outside of town. Ed's father Horace became disabled due to Parkinson's disease and Ed became the chief breadwinner working for the railroad repairing tracks and helping local loggers at age 13. He was able to feed the family from the abundance of the woods: hunting and fishing.

The U.S. became involved in World War II while Ed was in high school and like many of his age: he left school in his senior year to serve his country, joining the Navy. He saw duty in the South Pacific in the Battles of Iwo Jima and the Philippines.

After the war, Ed settled in Minneapolis working at Ft. Snelling where he met and courted Arlene Hurlburt who became his bride July 8, 1948. They enjoyed their lifestyle together in the "big city".

Being a reservist Ed was called into active duty in 1950 during the Korean War. He worked in the Brooklyn Shipyard (where he had the opportunity of seeing Jackie Robinson play baseball) and in the Mediterranean (South of France). His son John was born while he was overseas in 1951.

Upon returning home Ed, Arlene and John moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa where Robert (Bob) was born in 1954. In1958 the family moved to North Mankato, Minnesota. A wonderful family life ensued with family vacations (often to neighboring Ontario) for fishing and sightseeing. Once they spent a week together on a houseboat on Rainy Lake on the U.S./Canadian border.

After a short run of work in outside sales for Nabisco Ed began a career in newspaper advertising management which would span 40 years working for the local newspapers in Fort Dodge and Mankato and later in Pueblo, Colorado and Longview, Texas.

Once in Texas Ed considered himself a naturalized Texan and embraced the lore associated with the state. He enjoyed following the local Texas sports teams.

The thread of devotion which marked Ed's life from childhood was that to his God and Creator. Ed became active in the Episcopal Church as a young boy in belief which continued until his passing. In addition to stewardship of the parishes he attended ; he became involved in a personal spiritual journey which inspired him to become a lay member of monastic brotherhoods of St. Andrew and St. Benedict; dedicated to the principles of the order.

Ed was much beloved by those around him often entertaining others with his keen wit. He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.

He is preceded in death by his parents: Horace and Emma Martin, his wife Arlene Martin and his sister Mary Cox.

He is survived by his son John Edwin Martin of San Antonio TX and grandson Calvin Martin of Hailey, Idaho; his son Robert Paul Martin and his wife Gayla Martin of Krum, TX; grandchildren, Joshua Martin and wife Melanie of Naples, FL, Jason Martin and wife Jill of Naples, FL ,Matthew Martin of Krum,TX ; great grandchildren: Brant Sibert of Melbourne, Australia, Luke Kane of Marietta, OK, Owen Martin, Noah Martin, Sydney Martin, Alexi Martin, and Samuel Martin all of Naples ,FL and Jackson Martin of Krum, TX.