Notes |
- (Research):Mervin Martin (May 18, 1932 - Nov. 26, 2009)
- From his obituary and funeral bulletin
Mervin Martin was the beloved husband of Lena (Bauman) Martin
for 51 years, the loving father of Joyce and Murray Martin of
Elmira and Elroy and Sue Martin of R.R.1, Elmira, and cherished
grandpa of Travis and Janet, Corey, Stephanie and Kristen Martin.
He was the brother of Seleda and Levi Brubacher of RR 4 Listowel,
Mahlon Martin of Elmira, and Melvin and Irene Martin of RR 2
Drayton. He was pre-deceased by his parents, Norman and Sarah
Martin, step-father Henry Gingrich and his brother, Edward. A
memorial service was held at Floradale Mennonite Church on
November 29, 2009.
Mervin grew up on a farm on the 8th Line of Peel Township. At
the age of 16 he moved to Russ Bolender's farm where he helped
with the farm work. He then started his truck driving career,
driving for Russ Bolender, B & M, and Mardale Transport.
In the early 1960's he gave up trucking to start farming full-
time so he could spend more time at home, raising his family. He
then picked up a part-time job driving school bus for Elmira High
School to supplement his farming career. In the 1970's he gave up
driving bus to drive livestock for Thur Transport. At this point
he hired Carl Mueller to help out with the farm work. Carl and
Mervin formed their own company, raising pigs. Their interest in
pigs has lasted a lifetime.
One of Mervin's passions was collecting John Deere equipment a
topic he could converse widely about on his daily trips to the
Elmira restaurants (the Bavarian Inn or the Sip & Bite). He also
enjoyed snowmobiling with his family and friends.
Mervin was also known for his maple syrup, especially at the
annual Pig Roast where he provided anyone that was interested with
a sample. He also covered the pig with syrup while it was roasting.
His grandchildren were also recipient of his maple syrup samples
(on soothers, spoonfuls or as cough syrup).
Travis and Corey spoke about their grandfather at the funeral,
remembering him as "an energetic family man" and a "country boy
through and through." He was known as "Tractor Merv" and Corey
rembembered that each year on his birthday he would go to Elmira
Farm Service with his grandfather to pick out a new toy John Deere
tractor. They remembered him as a man with many tools, "more than
Canadian Tire and Princess Auto." It was family tradition to test
the fresh maple syrup each year and compare it to last year, and
each Thanksgiving he would hitch up a John Deere tractor to a white
hay wagon and take the family for a ride to visit the sugar bush.
He will be greatly missed by his entire family and many friends.
From Focus on Floradale
Floradale Mennonite Church
Volume XXV, No. 5
December, 2009
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