Harold John Martin, 13 Sept 1923 – 14 Apr 2014

MARTIN, KLEIN, FOLEY, SKWARK, HANAVAN

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 4/23/2014 at 14:42:37

The Gazette, April 16, 2014

HAROLD MARTIN
Blairstown

Harold John Martin, 90, died Monday, April 14, 2014, at the Keystone Nursing Care Center in Keystone, following an extended illness. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 16, at St. John Catholic Church in Blairstown, with Father Jim Miller as celebrant. Visitation was held at the church April 15. Friends may also call from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Phillips Funeral Home in Blairstown. Interment with graveside military rites conducted by M. J. Kirby American Legion Post #170 will be held at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Blairstown.

Harold was born Sept. 13, 1923, at Williamsburg, to John Bernard and Ada L. (Klein) Martin and graduated from the Marengo High School in 1941. He entered the service in February 1943 and was discharged in February 1946. During that period, he went to North Georgia College as a ASTP student, then to Marshall College in Huntington, W.Va., as an Air Force cadet. When these programs were discontinued, he was sent to the 75th Infantry Division at Camp Beckenridge. He went overseas to the Battle Of The Bulge and was in combat from Dec. 24, 1944, until the war was over in Europe.

After service in April 1946, he was employed at the Iowa County Savings Bank in Marengo, where he worked until November 1947, when he went to work at Marengo Motors in Marengo as a parts manager and bookkeeper until June 15, 1951.

On June 21, 1951, he married Emma Jean Foley of Belle Plaine at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Belle Plaine. Then on July 15, 1951, he took a position with the Benton County State Bank in Blairstown, where he worked for the 43 plus years, retiring Sept. 30, 1993, as bank president.

Survivors include the love of his life, Jean, his wife; children, Stephen John, Mary Ellen Skwark and Ursula Joan Hanavan; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Always a man of integrity, Harold was a member of St. John's Catholic Church, a volunteer fireman, a member of the American Legion and city council. He served the city of Blairstown as mayor from 1970 to 1974. He enjoyed fishing, boating, bowling and flying. His favorite pastimes were taking family vacations, playing board games with the children and winning at cards.

Condolences may be left at www.phillipsfuneral
homes.com.