Earl J. Martel, Jr., 88, of Wethersfield, passed away on Monday, August 26, 2019, rejoining his beloved wife of 63 years, Mary Anne (Bernat) Martel, who predeceased him this past January. Born in Hartford on January 25, 1931, he was the son of the late Earl J. Martel, Sr. and Fran (Toscano) Martel. Earl graduated from Wethersfield High School, where he was inducted into the Hall of Fame for soccer. He served proudly in the U.S. Army during the Korean War as a Platoon Sergeant. He was the owner and operator of Martel’s Service Station in Wethersfield for 46 years. Earl, Mary Anne and family enjoyed many years as members of the Wethersfield Country Club and Pine Acres Swim and Tennis Club. They also enjoyed spending summers at their family beach house in Old Saybrook. They traveled extensively each season with three high school buddies and their wives as members of the “Four Seasons”. Earl was extremely athletic, playing softball, tennis and golf. As the oldest actively playing member at WCC, he shot his age, 87, last year and enjoyed many rounds of golf with his WCC buddies, known as “The Beaters”. He was a third degree member of the Knights of Columbus, a member of the Knollwood Beach Association in Old Saybrook, and he volunteered as a little league umpire for many years. Earl was an avid fan of the New York Yankees, N.Y. Giants and all UConn sports teams. He was a devout Catholic, attending weekly mass at the Church of the Incarnation. A loving father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Earl will be forever missed by his sons: EJ Martel of Wethersfield and Kris Martel and Beth Dronsfield of Newington; his daughters, Karen DeFranco and husband Steven of Sewell, NJ; Lori McBride of Wethersfield and Pamela McNall and husband Bill of Atlanta, GA; his nine beloved grandchildren and one cherished great-grandson. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Grace Cashman; his dear niece, Jo-Ann Bialaski, as well as many beloved nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister, Barbara Bialaski.
The family will receive relatives and friends on Thursday (August 29) from 3-7 p.m. at the D’Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Boulevard, Wethersfield. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday at 1 p.m. at the Church of the Incarnation, 544 Prospect Street, Wethersfield. Everyone is asked to meet directly at church. Burial with military honors will follow in Village Cemetery, Old Wethersfield. Donations in Earl’s memory may be made to the American Heart Association, 5 Brookside Dr., Wallingford, CT 06492. To share a memory of Earl with his family, please visit www.desopofuneralchapel.com.
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