Search by Name

Add a Memory

Send Flowers

Make a Donation

Share Obituary

Joseph Walter Martin Jr.

Joseph Martin Obituary

MARTIN, Jr., Joseph Walter
Colonel, USAF (Retired)
Born in Kingston, Georgia to Joseph and Ida Mae Martin on March 28, 1937. He passed into Life Eternal on December 19, 2005 in Sacramento, California after battling a long term illness. He is survived by his loving wife Shirley, one sister Joanne, his son Joe, daughters Angie and Marti, their spouses, and grandchildren Steven Martin, David and Kelly Flanagan, and Martin and Michael Cutter, and several nieces and nephews. He graduated in 1959 from The University of Georgia. Later he was awarded graduate degrees from St Louis University, and The University of California-Japan Extension, and was a graduate of The Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He served as an officer in the United States Air Force from 1959 to 1988, retiring at the grade of Colonel. During his early Air Force years he was an Aerial Reconnaissance Weather Officer (ARWO) serving as a crew member on various military aircraft. He was the first ARWO to qualify in the WC-135B aircraft at McClellan Air Force Base. He served at bases in the USA, Bermuda, Japan, Germany and Korea. Later in his career he was appointed an Air Force Contracting Officer managing organizations in California, Texas, Kansas and New Mexico. He was the recipient of numerous distinguished military awards and decorations, including the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, and Air Force and Army Commendation Medals. Following his Air Force retirement, Joe worked for United Technologies, the BDM Corporation, and was a private consultant on quality assurance matters. He was a member of Carmichael Presbyterian Church where he served faithfully as an Elder and Moderator of Deacons, and was an active participant in several church organizations. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, Dec. 23rd at Carmichael Presbyterian Church, 5645 Marconi Ave, Carmichael, CA. In lieu of flowers, Colonel Martin's wishes were that memorials be directed to the Carmichael Presbyterian Legacy of Faith Building Fund.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Sacramento Bee from Dec. 21 to Dec. 23, 2005.

Memories and Condolences
for Joseph Martin

13 Entries

Jim and Harumi Reardon

January 11, 2006

Shirley and family,

Our condolences on your loss. I admired and respected Joe very much from the first time I met him over in Japan in 1970. He was a great boss and a better friend.

God Bless You and help you through these trying times.

Eugene Heald

January 7, 2006

Dear Shirley and Family.

My deepest sympathies to each of you. I will cherish forever our friendship developed over those wonderful years in Japan and then back inthe states. God bless you.

Bob Korose

January 7, 2006

Dear Shirley,

I am saddened to hear of Joe's passing. I had the pleasure of serving under him as a young ARWO at McClellan AFB. He was a mentor and a friend and had a large influence on my decision to make the Air Force a career. His upbeat personality and can do attitude had a positive impact on everyone. He will be greatly missed by all.

John Pavone

December 29, 2005

Dear Shirley and Family,

I mourn your loss. From the first day you guys showed up in Germany nearly 40 years ago, Jose has been a hero, mentor and friend. He was amazing in the airplane and for such a nice guy was sure a fierce competitor on the racketball court. Everything he did, he did with gusto. He will be missed.

Sincerely,

How you can show support

Get email updates whenever changes are made.

Send flowers

Consider sending flowers.

Add photos

Share their life with photo memories.

Plant trees

Honor them by planting trees in their memory.

Donate in Memory

Make a donation in memory of your loved one.

Share this page

Invite other friends and family to visit the page.

Frank Boman

December 28, 2005

Dear Shirley

Sorry to hear about Joe. I remember Joe from my time at McClellan in the late 60's. He has a great guy and a great supervisor. He was a great imspiration to me during those formative years as a young lieutenant. Over the years our paths crossed several times and I was always impressed by his compassion and integrity. He will be sorely missed.

Frank

John Hahn

December 25, 2005

Dear Shirley,

I was a young SSgt at Camp Casey when Col Martin was our squadron DO. I remember his bright smile and friendly, caring concern for all of the troops.

Whenever he would visit or we were in Yongsan he always asked how we were getting along and if there was anything he could do to help us.

He made quite an impression on me. Years later we bumped in to each other somewhere and his quick smile was still there and still wanted to know how things were going.

He was quite a guy.

John M. Hahn (CMSgt, USAF Retired)

Becky Paulay

December 24, 2005

Dear Shirley and Family,

Our hearts and prayers go out to you on this very sad occasion. What a kind and gentle man Joe was and how lucky my folks were to have known him these past few years. I just wish there would have been more time for you all to enjoy retirement together. May God Bless you and your family and may Joe rest in peace with his Maker.

Fondly,

Becky Paulay and Family

Pastor K.C. Wahe

December 23, 2005

Dear Shirley,

We loved Joe very much and Joe always made Debbie and I feel so welcomed here at CPC. I also loved Joe's heart for trying to get our youth of the church involved in the life of the church, especially wanting them to become church members. Lord be with you in this season of Advent Shirley.

Peace of Christ,

K.C.

Bruce Ackert

December 23, 2005

Dear Shirley,

Lily and I are truly sorry to hear of your loss. Joe was a great guy for whom I always had the utmost admiration and respect.

I first met Joe at Yokota while TDY with the 55th WRS on a Cold Spec mission. A couple years later he came out to Guam with a 9th WRWg staff assistance team to look over the 54th WRS Weather Section. I had been the Stanboard ARWO for several months and had just taken over as Officer in Charge of the Weather Section. Joe wrote a glowing report about our weather operation. Undoubtedly his report paved the way for my future promotion in jobs and responsibilities -- to 9th WRWg plans shop and then to AWS Headquarters as ARWO in charge.

Thanks Joe!

Bruce Ackert, Lt Col (USAF Retired)

Kathy Jacobi Knoefler

December 22, 2005

Joe & Shirley have become beloved friends of my parents over the last 10 years or so! It has been a pure joy in my heart to hear all the stories of great times shared together with Bill, Jan, Shirley and Joe - the joint travels, card games & Mexican Train, good red wine, Starbucks, grandchildren bragging rights, etc. I know they will all miss Joe immensely, especially my dad, Dick Jacobi! Joe was his friend at Men's Prayer Breakfast. I will always be indebted to Joe for inviting and encouraging my father to join that group once my Dad retired - what precious fellowship they shared! Thank you Joe for being a true Christian friend to both my parents, and for always being the consummate southern gentleman to all of us who had the honor of getting to know you!

Very personally, my heart is so full of gratitude to Joe and Shirley for making the long trip to Kauai for my May 2005 wedding. I know Joe didn't feel well, his efforts and desire to get there came at the expense of great personal pain. The gift of your presence on my wedding day was truly something I will hold dear for the rest of my life. I will always be so appreciative, and I treasure my recorded memories (on video and in my wedding pictures) of the joyful time we all had, amidst the tremendous sacrifice he made for his friends to share in our beautiful island wedding day!

Thank you, Joe and thank you Shirley - I will fondly remember the two of you as the golden couple who were the last two on the dance floor during the anniversary dance at my wedding reception in Hawaii - 48 years, wow! What a model you have been to so many of us!

Joe will be missed so much, and I hope Shirley and her family know the many prayers that are being said on their behalf at this very difficult time, and in the difficult times ahead. You are loved, cared for and thought of all the time - even from the afar!!

All My Love, Hugs & Prayers -

Debi Shaeffer

December 22, 2005

I would like to express my condolences to Joe Martin's family. We worked together many years ago, in San Jose. At United Technologies, Joe was one of the nicest managers I ever had the pleasure to work with. His office door was always open, he had honesty, integrity, and his intelligence was surpassed only by his kindness. Joe was one of the good guys. He will be truly missed. May the love and prayers of friends and family help you through this difficult time of loss.

Sincerely,

Debi Shaeffer

Becky LaVally

December 21, 2005

We are so sorry to learn of the loss of Joe, the kindest, sweetest and gentlest man anyone could ever know. His smile came so readily and easily. Joe was perpetually warm and friendly; he was pleasant to his core. Our lives were made much richer by having him as a friend, neighbor and member of our extended family. We enjoyed his company immensely whenever we were together. We mourn his passing and share our deepest sympathies with Shirley, Marti, Paul and all the others in his beautiful family who are grieving so deeply.

With love,

Becky and Jeff

Kiran Lanfranchi-Rizzardi

December 21, 2005

Dear Shirley, Marti and Family. I am very sorry to hear of the death of Joe. It is unbelievable. I cannot believe that I will no longer be able to see him in church. He was my mentor, a good friend, who was always ready to listen to my stories. When I got baptized last year, he was one of the people who supported me and encouraged me the most. I will definitely miss him. Rest in peace dear, Joe, and hopefully, you will be able to recognize me when I enter heaven.

Showing 1 - 13 of 13 results