Thomas Martin

Thomas J. Martin, 79, of Mason City, Iowa, died Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012 at Mercy Medical Center – North Iowa in Mason City.

A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012 at Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. 4th St., Clear Lake.  Interment will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City, where full military honors will be provided by the Clear Lake VFW. 

Visitation will be held Wednesday morning from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the funeral home.

Should friends desire, memorials may be left in Thomas’ name in care of his family.

Thomas Jefferson Martin was born on April 4, 1933 in Quincy, Ill., the son of Thomas E. and Nellie (Lowe) Martin.  He attended and graduated from Quincy High School.  Following his graduation Thomas attended community college for two years before enlisting in the United States Navy.

It was on a blind date in Wichita, Kan., that Thomas met his future wife, Betty Jean Haney.  They would be united in marriage on Dec. 18, 1951 in Winfield, Kan.; this union would be blessed with seven children. 

On Jan. 22, 1951 Thomas was inducted into the United States Navy where he would faithfully serve his country during the Korean Conflict.  On Feb. 25, 1953 he was honorably discharged from the Navy.

Thomas spent many years serving as a police officer in Virginia, Kansas, and Texas before moving to Iowa.  The last few years Thomas had worked at Wal-Mart in Mason City.  

In his free time Thomas enjoyed bowling and bowled league for many years at Lake Lanes in Clear Lake.  He and Betty also enjoyed watching Westerns together and over the years had developed an impressive collection of Western movies, his favorite being, “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly”.  In his children’s earlier years, Thomas was a Boy Scout Leader for his sons’ Boy Scout Pack.  He liked to travel and collect guns.

Those grateful in sharing in his life are his children, Paul Alan Martin, Petersberg, Va., Glen Clifford Martin, Sheboygan, Wis., Joyce Lynn (Scott) Myers, Mason City, James Wayne Martin, Joplin, Mo., Molly (Kevin) Gann, Lawrence, Kan., and Michael (Sarah) Martin, Hiawatha, Kan.; 12 grandchildren; six great grandchildren; a brother, Charles Martin (Ann) Snodgrass, Glendale, Va.; a sister, Patty Louise Martin, Quincy, Ill.; and a sister-in-law, Mary L. Martin, Hull, Ill.

He is preceded in death by his parents; wife; brothers, Robert Leo Martin, Fred Junior Martin, and Bruce Edward Martin; and a son, Tony Martin.

Ward Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake, was in charge of arrangements.