John Emmett Martin

December 18, 1930 ~ November 5, 2020
John Emmett Martin was born in Cushing, OK, Dec. 18, 1930. He passed away Nov. 5, 2020.
He attended Cushing High School and was a member of the National Honor Society, student council, and played basketball for three years. After high school, he attended Phillips University in Enid, OK, where he obtained a BA as an undergraduate, and then a Masters in Divinity in graduate school.
John served in the ministry for Christian churches, beginning in Kansas and leading him to Vancouver, WA, where he met his future wife and lifelong love, Shirley Ann Martin. When they met, John was a pastor and she was the organist at the Christian Disciples of Christ Church in Vancouver. They quickly fell in love and married. In the service of the ministry, John also served as pastor for churches in El Paso, TX, Grants Pass, OR, and Camas, WA.
In about 1973, John left the ministry and went back to school at Portland State University, where he obtained a BA in education. He then taught elementary school for the Oregon City School District for over 20 years until he retired in the early 1990s.
John lived his life in the service of the Lord, always putting others before himself. He was devoted to his wife and family. John and Shirley were lifelong sweethearts, having been married for over 60 years until she passed earlier in March of last year. He was a consummate gardener, golfer and fisherman. John also enjoyed watching sports; especially college and professional football and basketball.
He is survived by his four loving children, Karl, Karina, Kyle and Kevin; and three grandchildren, Jordan, Emily and Isabelle; as well as his son-in-law, Randy; and grandson-in-law, Sean.
For the past few years, he and Shirley have lived at the Touchmark facility in Vancouver. A service is not currently planned due to the pandemic.