Harlan Eugene Martin

Harlan Eugene Martin, age 94, who was a barbershop singer, went to join his favorite foursome the Father, Son and Holy Spirit on Saturday November 25, 2023. Harlan was born on May 14, 1929, in Amherst, Wisconsin, the second born son of the late Vernon and Selma (Loberg) Martin. He grew up in Amherst the son of the postmaster there. Harlan and his lifelong friend, Marv Bestul, had a great time growing up together. He had an older brother Kenneth and a younger brother Philp who became a golfing buddy as they got older. After high school Harlan attended UWSP and earned a degree in education and later a master's degree from Northern Michigan. On August 19, 1950, he was united in marriage to Mary Wiater in Amherst. They recently celebrated 73 years of marriage. Harlan and Mary were blessed with three children Lynn, Dean and Debra. He was a math teacher and started his career in Viroqua, Wisconsin. After a couple of years, he got a teaching position with the Shawano School District, where he taught for 32 years retiring in 1989. In 1962 he moved his family to San Jose, California where he took classes at San Jose State. A year later Harlan moved his family back to Shawano. During the summer months in his earlier years, he would roof barns with his good friend Milton Schmitt. After several summers of roofing, Harlan joined Umland Painters who he painted houses with in the summer before going on his own with help from his two sons. He was an avid golfer, playing several times a week well into his 90's. He often bragged about being able to shoot his age as he got older. A big accomplishment of his was getting 3 holes in one. Harlan was also able to teach his grandchildren to golf. Because of him they are enjoying the game of golf today. Singing was always a big part of his life. In the 1970's he was a member if the Shawano Tones Barbershop singing group and sang baritone in his own foursome the Tic Tac Tones, members included Frank Shauder, Larry Lewis and Harvey Jewell. Harlan was a long-time member of the Zion Lutheran Church choir which he enjoyed immensely! He was the perfect example of what it looked like to be a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend and Christian. He will be immensely missed by all who knew and loved him
Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 73 years, Mary; children, Lynn (Sharon) Martin and Dean (Vicki) Martin and Debra (James) Heinz; grandchildren, Jimmy (Lindsey) Heinz, Andrew Heinz, Erik (Kylie) Heinz, Jacob (Chris) Martin, Jessica (Ben) Selle, Del (Bryanna) Martin, Michael Heinz, Scott (Melanie) Heinz and Todd Heinz; thirteen great-grandchildren; brother, Philip (Char) Martin.
Harlan is preceded in death by his parents, Vernon and Selma; brother, Kenneth; and two sisters-in-law.
A memorial service for Harlan will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday December 16, 2023, at Zion Lutheran Church in Shawano with Pastor Scott Ludford officiating. Visitation will be held from 9:30 until the time of service on Saturday at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made out to Zion Lutheran Church Choir or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
But the Holy Spirt produces this kind of fruit in our lives; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23