William ‘Bill’ Martin, of Dowagiac

Published 9:38 am Monday, April 27, 2015

Sept. 8, 1923 — April 23, 2015

William ‘Bill’ Martin

William “Bill” J. Martin, 91, of Dowagiac, passed away on Thursday, April 23, 2015.

A Christian Mass will be held at 3:30 P.M. on Tuesday, April, 28, 2015 at Holy Maternity of Mary Catholic Church with Father Kevin Covert officiating. Burial of his cremated remains will take place at a later date in Riverside Cemetery, Dowagiac. Friends may visit with the family Tuesday afternoon, April 28 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Clark Chapel & Cremation Services, 405 Center Street, Dowagiac. Military honors will take place at 3 p.m. by the United States Marine Corp. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Cass County COA or Heartland Hospice. Those wishing to sign Bill’s memory book online or leave a condolence may do so at www.clarkch.com.

Bill was born Sept. 8, 1923, in Cleveland, Ohio to John and Mary (Paskavicius) Martin. He attended East Technical High School in Cleveland, graduating in 1941. After the attack on Pearl Harbor he joined the United States Marine Corp and reported for duty on Jan. 1, 1942, assigned to the 1st Marine Division on Feb. 10th, 1942.

Bill is survived by his wife Vi (Violet Zablocki); two daughters; Leah (Greg) Hartlaub and Diane (George) Ehlers of Cincinnati, Ohio, and three grandchildren; Wren (Mark) Shaver, Isaac (Elizabeth) Hartlaub and Jonathan and great granddaughter Maeve Margaret Hartlaub. He also leaves behind three step grandchildren; Edward (Sue) Zablocki of Cassopolis, Donna (Will) Beachy of Middlebury, Indiana and Judy (John) Michel of Venice, Fl and nine step grandchildren and fourteen step great grandchildren. He is also survived by one brother, John, Jr. of Avon Lake, Ohio and his family. He was preceded in death by his parents, first wife Ruth, a brother Frank and his sister Anne.

Read full obituary at www.clarkch.com