Obituary for Joseph Melvin Martin
JOSEPH MELVIN MARTIN
After 91 years here on earth, Joseph Melvin Martin departed this life and returned to his Maker and Savior after a short illness on May 5, 2019. Born to Ed and Mandy Martin, on February 23, 1928, in Decaturville, MO, Melvin was one of 10 children growing up in a small house off a country road west of Stoutland, MO. His brother, Dean, of Rolla, MO, is the sole surviving sibling. As a schoolboy, Melvin met Georgia Mae Blackburn, who captured his heart and in a few years would become his wife. They were married on February 12, 1946, and remained inseparable for 73 years until Melvin’s death. The Lord blessed Melvin and Georgia Mae with their first child, Jerry, the following year. A few years later, their second son, Gary, came along; and Kenneth completed the family four years later. Ever the loving, dutiful and hardworking husband and father, Melvin hand-dug the foundation and water cistern of their first home in Riverside, Missouri, where they resided for several years, before building the first of many homes in the northland subdivision of Barry Heights and other communities. Alongside his two brothers-in-law— Carl “Corky” Blackburn (Georgia Mae’s only brother) and Oliver “Spud” Head (husband of Georgia Mae’s sister “Ducky”), homebuilding in Barry became truly a family affair—as soon as the children of the three families were old enough to hold a hammer, they were enlisted. Building houses, however, was only a part-time job for Melvin. He also spent years driving trucks for Santa Fe Truck Lines in metro KC before “retiring” (as if that were even possible for the man) at the age of 50 to enjoy the next 40 years fishing, boating, gardening, mowing, chopping wood and swinging on the back porch with his childhood sweetheart in the home they built at Pomme de Terre Lake in southern Missouri. During those years he also lent a hand to neighbors and the church putting to good use his construction skills. They remained at Pomme until health issues brought them back north again to spend their last days with their kids, grandkids and great-grandkids in Platte City and beyond. Having made lots of memories, told lots of stories, chopped tons of wood, skinned & filleted hundreds of catches of crappie, Melvin is still with us in so many ways and we all thank God for the time we’ve had with him. But he will be truly missed. Melvin was preceded in death by grandson Larry Don Martin and is survived by (3) children: Jerry (Mary); Gary (Nancy); and Kenny (Tina); (12) grandchildren: Jason & (Jennifer) Neff; Melinda (John) Ward; Tina (Stephen) Jaworski; Carey (Brady) Rodgers; Deanna (Dave) Long; Karla (Jared) Leclair; Heath (Holly) Martin; Scott (Jackie) Martin; Cassie (Jason) Cleaver; Kyle Martin; Kenna Martin; and Kaila (Joshua) Combs along with (22) great-grandchildren, (2) sisters-in-law: Peggy (Kenny) Porterfield and Karen (Dan) Meyers and several nieces & nephews. The family wishes to thank Melvin’s personal caregivers Elizabeth, Roberta, the staff at Ignite Medical Resort on Barry Road, and the staff at Saint Luke’s North Hospital - Barry Road. A visitation will be held 1:00 – 2:00 p.m., Saturday, May 11, 2019 at Rollins Funeral Home in Platte City, MO; followed by a 2:00 p.m. funeral service. Graveside services at the Stoutland, MO Cemetery are pending. Memorial contributions can be given to the Stoutland Cemetery Association, Stoutland, MO. Arrangements By: Rollins Funeral Home—Platte City, MO—Ph. 816.858.2129. www.rollinsfuneralhome.net
After 91 years here on earth, Joseph Melvin Martin departed this life and returned to his Maker and Savior after a short illness on May 5, 2019. Born to Ed and Mandy Martin, on February 23, 1928, in Decaturville, MO, Melvin was one of 10 children growing up in a small house off a country road west of Stoutland, MO. His brother, Dean, of Rolla, MO, is the sole surviving sibling. As a schoolboy, Melvin met Georgia Mae Blackburn, who captured his heart and in a few years would become his wife. They were married on February 12, 1946, and remained inseparable for 73 years until Melvin’s death. The Lord blessed Melvin and Georgia Mae with their first child, Jerry, the following year. A few years later, their second son, Gary, came along; and Kenneth completed the family four years later. Ever the loving, dutiful and hardworking husband and father, Melvin hand-dug the foundation and water cistern of their first home in Riverside, Missouri, where they resided for several years, before building the first of many homes in the northland subdivision of Barry Heights and other communities. Alongside his two brothers-in-law— Carl “Corky” Blackburn (Georgia Mae’s only brother) and Oliver “Spud” Head (husband of Georgia Mae’s sister “Ducky”), homebuilding in Barry became truly a family affair—as soon as the children of the three families were old enough to hold a hammer, they were enlisted. Building houses, however, was only a part-time job for Melvin. He also spent years driving trucks for Santa Fe Truck Lines in metro KC before “retiring” (as if that were even possible for the man) at the age of 50 to enjoy the next 40 years fishing, boating, gardening, mowing, chopping wood and swinging on the back porch with his childhood sweetheart in the home they built at Pomme de Terre Lake in southern Missouri. During those years he also lent a hand to neighbors and the church putting to good use his construction skills. They remained at Pomme until health issues brought them back north again to spend their last days with their kids, grandkids and great-grandkids in Platte City and beyond. Having made lots of memories, told lots of stories, chopped tons of wood, skinned & filleted hundreds of catches of crappie, Melvin is still with us in so many ways and we all thank God for the time we’ve had with him. But he will be truly missed. Melvin was preceded in death by grandson Larry Don Martin and is survived by (3) children: Jerry (Mary); Gary (Nancy); and Kenny (Tina); (12) grandchildren: Jason & (Jennifer) Neff; Melinda (John) Ward; Tina (Stephen) Jaworski; Carey (Brady) Rodgers; Deanna (Dave) Long; Karla (Jared) Leclair; Heath (Holly) Martin; Scott (Jackie) Martin; Cassie (Jason) Cleaver; Kyle Martin; Kenna Martin; and Kaila (Joshua) Combs along with (22) great-grandchildren, (2) sisters-in-law: Peggy (Kenny) Porterfield and Karen (Dan) Meyers and several nieces & nephews. The family wishes to thank Melvin’s personal caregivers Elizabeth, Roberta, the staff at Ignite Medical Resort on Barry Road, and the staff at Saint Luke’s North Hospital - Barry Road. A visitation will be held 1:00 – 2:00 p.m., Saturday, May 11, 2019 at Rollins Funeral Home in Platte City, MO; followed by a 2:00 p.m. funeral service. Graveside services at the Stoutland, MO Cemetery are pending. Memorial contributions can be given to the Stoutland Cemetery Association, Stoutland, MO. Arrangements By: Rollins Funeral Home—Platte City, MO—Ph. 816.858.2129. www.rollinsfuneralhome.net