Lynn Paul Martin DVM

On March 8, 2024, Doc went over the rainbow bridge, with a twinkle in his eye, welcomed by his four-legged fury friends.

He grew up in Huntertown, Indiana and was a 1956 graduate of Huntertown High School where he was the Senior Class President. He also participated in basketball, track and played the clarinet in the band.

As a member of the Perry Boosters 4-H club, he achieved the rank of 4-H King Showed pigs, chickens and rabbits.

On September 12, 1959, he married DeMarise J. Hand at St. Vincent Catholic Church Fort Wayne, Indiana.

In 1960, Lynn earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from Purdue University and graduated in 1964 with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.

He served two years in the United States Army as a Captain in the Veterinary Army Corp at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

After receiving his discharge, he worked two years for Dr. Worley at South Bend Animal Clinic and one year for Dr. Dufore at Elkhart Veterinary Clinic.

In 1969, he founded the Fort Wayne Pet Hospital where practiced for 49 years before retiring in 2018.

Lynn was a lifetime member of St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church and remained devout in his Catholic faith.

He was a member of the Fort Wayne Veterinary Medical Association as well as the AVMA, IVMA and NEIVMA. He served as a past president of the NEIVA and a past secretary and treasurer of the Fort Wayne Veterinary Medicine Association. For many years he volunteered as the Veterinarian on site at the Fort Wayne Dog Show held every year at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

He had a devoted involvement in the 4-H Club, he served as a 4-H leader for Perry Booster Club 40 years. He was one the founders of the 4-H cat project and the first record book and manual for the state of Indiana. He taught cat workshops and provided health checks to the cats entering the cat shows. He served as a judge for the Lab Animal projects and also bred and raised 4-H pigs, English Spot rabbits and chickens. He donated and volunteered to run pseudorabies blood tests on 4-H pigs entering Allen County and the Indiana State Fair. He set up farms tours and was a supporter of the Allen County Fairgrounds.

Lynn volunteered for St. Vincent Troop 2 Boy Scouts for 50 years as a mentor and merit badge counselor. He was one of the original founders of the Haunted Castle and Black Forest, donating, planning and building many of the scenes. He could be found every night working on one of the scenes during the Halloween season. In order for the Scouts to obtain five acres, build a Scout lodge and buy a bus, he hosted several fundraisers at his home, welcoming dignitaries Mayor Win Moses and Indiana State Representatives Jill Long and Tom Wyss. He traveled with the Scouts seven times to the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, hiked the Grand Canyon and braved the white water rafting on the Colorado River. Along with many other high adventure trips, every summer for one week as spent camping at the Little Turtle Boy Camp working on merit badges to encourage and aid the boys in: obtaining the highest scout rank: Eagle Scout. He was involved in many other fundraisers such as fish fries and pancake breakfast. He hand carved over 300 red oak plaques representing the Eagle emblem for every boy who has obtained the Eagle rank.

Since 1968, he enjoyed spending summers with family and friends and Lake of the Woods. His hobbies would include woodworking, collecting antiques, model trains and cheering on the Purdue basketball team.

He has received various honors for his dedication of service throughout Indiana which includes:

Distinguished Hoosier Award presented by Governor Mitch Daniels-6/11/2011

Certificate of Distinction awarded by the Purdue Agricultural Alumni Association-2/2/2013

The “Doc Martin Room” dedicated at the St. Vincent Scout Lodge in his honor of his leadership and gifts to the Troop 2 Boy Scout program-7/27/2019

Surviving are his wife, DeMarise; one daughter, Kathy (Robert) Payonk; three sons, Thomas (Melissa), Johnathan (Kris) and Marcus (Heather); brothers, Gay (Roslyn) Martin and Tony (Diane) Martin; grandchildren, Emily (Chris), Andrew and Aaron, Keighlea, Kyle, Kendra , Allison, Samuel, Kamryn and Zachary, Elliana, Alysse, Trevor, Grant and Tyler; several nieces and nephews.

A Rosary service will begin at 3:30 PM, on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 at the St. Vincent Scout Lodge 8965 Auburn Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46825. Visitation will be from 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM at the Scout Lodge.

A funeral Mass will begin at 10:30 AM, Thursday, March 14, 2024, at St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church 1502 Wallen Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46825, with visitation one hour prior to mass. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow the Funeral mass at Highland Park Cemetery.

Preferred memorials may be made to Allen County 4-H, 4001 Crescent Avenue, Fort Wayne, IN 46815, St. Vincent American Heritage Girls – Fort Wayne Troop, 35 Tri-County Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45245 or

St. Vincent Scouts, 8965 Auburn Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Funeral arrangements by D.O. McComb and Sons Funeral Homes - Pine Valley.