Dr. Edward MARTIN

MARTIN, Dr. Edward

Edward Martin, aged 98, died peacefully early Thursday morning in Fall River, MA after a short illness. Eddie was born Nov. 16, 1914 in New Britain, the son of Joseph Martin and Anna Brachman Martin, both immigrants from a shtetle near Odessa, then part of Russia. He was raised in New Britain where his father was a painting contractor. He attended the University of Connecticut. When he graduated, Magna Cum Laude and a member of the TXE Honor Society, in 1936, he was the first UConn graduate in over 20 years to be admitted to the Yale University School of Medicine. He graduated Yale in 1940 winning the Perkins Prize for excellence in pre-clinical studies and the Campbell Medal Award for highest academic standing in medical studies. He was married in 1939 to Muriel Brown Martin, whom he met the first week of his freshman year in college. They were inseparable lifelong partners until her death in 2009, living most of their married life in New Britain where they raised their three children. They also travelled widely and, in later years, wintered in Florida. They moved to Rhode Island eighteen years ago, living, first in Warren and more recently in Tiverton. After serving a medical residency at New Britain General Hospital, Eddie entered military service during World War II. He was a Flight Surgeon in the U.S. Army Air Force from 1942-1945 spending two years in the South Pacific with the 3rd Attack Group of the 5th Air Force, retiring as a Major. After the war, he was awarded a fellowship in hematology at the Washington University in St. Louis under Carl Moore. Returning to New Britain he joined the then new Grove Hill Clinic where for the next 40 years he practiced internal medicine and hematology. Over the years he was an instructor of medicine at Washington University, Yale University, and New Britain General Hospital. He was a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, the American Society of Hematology and a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine. He served on the boards of a number of medical and civic organizations and was an active supporter of the Jewish community. In 1985 he received the Distinguished Connecticut Citizen Award from the UConn Alumni Association. More competitive with himself than with others Eddie approached any challenge with a steadfast determination to achieve. Beyond his academic and professional achievements he will be remembered as a person who was smart, quiet, caring, and gracious with a warm sense of humor. A good listener, he was always courteous and considerate with co-workers, patients, and acquaintances and was widely admired and respected. His family called him 'steady Eddie' for his equanimity. He loved his family and friends, reading, golf, swimming, and squash. He was a true mensch. He is survived by his children Steven (Lynn Blankfort) of Mill Valley, CA, Margo Grodsky of Boston, and Jeffrey (Barbara Gee) of Portsmouth, RI; and by his grandchildren Lisa (Rob Delmonico) and Jason Grodsky, Mather (Paul Kuhn), Samara, and Danya Martin.
The graveside funeral will be held Monday, 2 p.m. at Kneseth Israel Cemetery, Ellington, weather permitting. Check www.weinsteinmortuary.com for confirmation of date, time, directions, and further information. Visiting hours will be held on Tuesday, from 2-4 and 7-9 at the home of Jeffrey Martin, 728 Bristol Ferry Road, Portsmouth, RI. Contributions may be made in Eddie's honor to Temple Shalom, 223 Valley Road, Middletown RI 02842. To share memories of Eddie with his family please visit online at www.weinsteinmortuary.com.