Larry E. Martin

Larry E. Martin, age 84 of Ovid, passed away on Sunday, June 23, 2019 in St. Johns after a lengthy battle with ALS. A memorial service will be held at Keck-Coleman Funeral Home in St. Johns on Thursday, June 27 at 11:00 a.m. Visitation will also take place at Keck-Coleman on Tuesday from 6-8 p.m., and Wednesday from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Larry was born on April 24, 1935, in Revere Missouri, son of Carl W. and Mary E. (Brown) Martin. The family moved to Michigan when Larry was two years old, eventually settling in a farm house on the current site of Sleepy Hollow State Park. He was a 1953 graduate of Ovid High School and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Animal Husbandry from Michigan State University in 1963. Larry also served in the United States Army from 1954-56 with the 3rd Armored Division. Larry married Margo D. Sheldon on August 29, 1954 in Ovid. Larry and Margo purchased Sheldon's Packing House from Margo's father Dale Sheldon in 1967. Together they ran the meat packing business until its closing in 1998. Larry was always a highly visible personality in the Ovid area and took on numerous leadership roles in the community. Some of the organizations he was involved with include Ovid Village Council, Ovid Little League, Ovid-Middlebury Fire Department - many years a fire chief, Ovid Lions Club, Ovid Community Food Basket Program, area meats judging teams as an advisor, and Ovid-Elsie School Board. Larry also served as Clinton County Commissioner for twenty years, the last six as chairperson. Larry was a proud MSU Spartan alumnus and held season tickets to football, basketball, and hockey since the 1970's. He loved to host football tailgates, and also traveled to many Spartan away contests including bowl games and national tournament games. Taught by his father, Larry was an avid hunter from a very young age. He passed this love of the outdoors on to his children and grandchildren, not to mention countless other young people in the Ovid-Elsie area by teaching Hunter Safety class for nearly 50 years. Larry is survived by his wife of 64 years, Margo; four children: Gregg (Jennie), Leann, and Allen (Michele) all of Ovid, and Scott (Lisa Margaret) of Oakley; nine grandchildren: Dan (Jennifer), Sarah (Seth), Lukas, Alaina, Cal (Jackie), Mariel (Aaron), Brett, Nathan, and Traci; two greatgrandchildren: Dominic and Ariana; and brother Norman (Barbara) Martin of Ovid. Larry was predeceased by his parents, Carl and Mary, along with seven siblings: Darlene Hammond, Dennis, Warren, Gayle Pontius, and three who died in infancy: Harold, Mary, and Jack. Memorial contributions are suggested to either the Ovid-Middlebury Fire Department or Ovid Lions Club..