Douglas Lee Martin Obituary (1922 - 2019)

Douglas Lee Martin was born October 4, 1922 on the ancestral farm near La Rose, Illinois. He died February 7, 2019 at the age of 96. He was the eldest child and only son of George Earl Martin and Viola Miller Martin. He married Leatha Williams November 22, 1953 in Peoria, Illinois. She survives. Doug attended elementary school at Pattonsburg, was graduated from the old La Rose High School with the class of 1940 and received a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois. During World War II he served four years with the U.S. Army Air Corps as a B-26 bomber pilot, flying 25 missions over Germany. His entire professional career was spent with Caterpillar where he worked 43 years. He was assigned to various locations, including Peoria, Japan, Korea, Denver, Belgium and Memphis. He retired in 1986 and lived the rest of his life in Richmond, Texas in the winter and Pattonsburg, Illinois in the summer. He is survived by his five daughters, Nancy Posner of Sharon, Massachusetts, Alice Martin of Laguna Niguel, California, Jane (Curt) Kohlheyer of Jefferson, Maryland, Anne Blanco of Morris, Illinois, and Sarah (Joseph) Ryan of Sugar Land, Texas; and by one sister, Colleen Morris of Roanoke, Illinois. He had 13 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Lila Bloomer of Danville, Illinois; son-in-law, Robert Posner; infant granddaughter, Ellen Elizabeth Ryan; and infant great granddaughter, Ainsley Elizabeth Markham. He was a member of the Masonic Order for 75 years and was a charter member of Faith United Methodist Church of Richmond, Texas. In accordance with his wishes, Doug's body was donated for scientific research to the University of Texas Medical School. Later, a private family interment will be at the Bell Plain Baptist Cemetery, Pattonsburg, Illinois. Memorial contributions may be made to Shriners Hospital for Children, Galveston, Texas www.shrinershospitalforchildren.org