Leroy Martin

1936 - 2016

Eulan Leroy Martin passed away at his home in Yuba City, CA, on May 19, 2016. Leroy was born in Webber Falls, Oklahoma on March 15, 1936 to Charley and Opal Martin. Leroy and his family moved to California when he was 6 months old. He attended Barry Elementary from kindergarten through 8th grade. Leroy graduated from Yuba City High School in 1954.

On March 3, 1957, Leroy married Diane Shippen in Carson City, Nevada. Leroy and Diane had two sons, Leonard (Lenny) and Richard (Ricky). They were the love of their life. The family loved the outdoors and they looked forward to the annual Deer hunting trip to the cabin in Doyle and camping during the summer at Lost Lake and Canyon Creek. Leroy enjoyed holding Sunday BBQ's with any and all family and friends invited. In addition to his family, Leroy's favorite things in life were being the owner operator of a semi-truck and riding motorcycles.

The majority of Leroy's work life was spent in the trucking industry where he drove his truck for W.H. Ohara and Giboney & Hielman. Leroy lost a great portion of his eye sight due to rheumatoid arthritis in the early sixties to the point that he was no longer able to drive his truck. Leroy was not going to let this setback stop him so he hired someone to drive his truck and began his second career as a diesel mechanic working for Giboney & Hielman, Beard & Hawn and Wayne Bailey Engineering where he would soon be known far and wide as one of the finest Diesel Mechanic's in Northern California. In 1982, a work injury forced Leroy into early retirement.

After parting ways with Diane in 1976, Leroy married Jo-Linda Thrasher in Reno, Nevada on February 4, 1990. Jo-Linda and her children Lora Horton, Linda Vawter and Lonnie Witzke lovingly became part of Leroy's family for the remainder of his life.

Leroy was preceded in death by his parents Charley and Opal Martin and his sister Adeline Evans.

He is survived by his sisters Louise Meyers and Wanda Burkheart, both of Yuba City, CA; his and Jo-Linda's children Lenny Martin (Kathy) of Yuba City, CA, Ricky Martin (Carolyn) of Warden, WA, Lonnie Witzke (Becky) of Sutter, CA, Linda Vawter (John) of Arbuckle, CA and Lora Horton of Yuba City, CA; Leroy and Jo-Linda's grandchildren, Amanda, Katherine, Wesley, Matthew, Erin, Darin, Daniel, Denton, Shannon, Lonnie, Chelsie and Matt; and Leroy and Jo-Linda's great-grandchildren Aryana, Kalena, Cameron, Josh, Austin, Cam, Macy, Benny, Kamden, Kelsie, Abbi, Shelby, Wyatt, Leland, Addison, Gavyn, Deagen, Ryder and Rylin.

Services will be held at Sutter Cemetery on Butte House Rd. in Sutter, CA, on Monday, June 20, 2016 at 1:00 pm. A remembrance for family and friends will follow at Hope Point Nazarene Church, 600 N. George Washington Blvd.,. Yuba City, CA from 2:00 - 5:00 pm.

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