Martin DeWitt

1940 - 2025

Martin DeWitt, born April 13, 1940, in Heerenveen, a northern province of Friesland in the Netherlands, passed away peacefully on the morning of June 5, 2025, at Hospice of the Valley in the Phoenix area.

Marty, as he was affectionately known, a large man both in both stature and character, was an adventurer who spent much of his time thinking about where he would travel next. Starting in the Netherlands, though it was his parents' decision to move from the effects of World War II, he left Friesland with his father, Peter; mother, Pearl; his older brother, Robert (Bob); and younger brothers, John and Theodore (Ted). Marty was 7 years old when his family sailed to Ellis Island in New York to begin his time in America. Shortly after the family's arrival in the United States, his brother, Ralph, was born.

Marty was known for making a decision and sticking to his convictions. The best example of this is when he was 13 years old. He told all the kids in school and at church in Lynden, Washington, that he was going to marry Gayle Bosman one day. The other kids mocked him but that didn't deter him. He had made up his mind and after his Honorable Discharge from the Army in 1961 he proposed marriage to Gayle, and they were married on Aug. 25, 1961.

In early 1962, he drove to Anchorage, Alaska, with a friend to find work. As soon as he found a job, he flew back to Washington and drove up to Alaska with Gayle. A year later in 1963, they would have their first child, Brian (Scott).

Marty worked multiple jobs in his early years in Alaska. From working in a sawmill, to driving bus for Coachways, to a small stint as bartender on the top floor of the Polaris Building in Fairbanks before deciding that a career as a truck driver suited him.

In 1966, the family moved from Anchorage to Fairbanks, Alaska, and decided that Fairbanks would be a good city to raise their children. Their daughter, Pamela (Pam), would be born shortly after their arrival in Fairbanks in May. Their second son, David, was born in 1970.

Marty was baptized at the same time as Gayle, who was very pregnant at the time, in June of 1972 at the old Assembly of God church. Two months later, their third son, Robert, was born. Two years after that, their fifth and last child, John, was born.

Marty was a proud man - proud of his family, his work ethic, being a Teamster since early 1974, and he valued his friends. He made it clear how much he loved his children and grandchildren but more importantly, he spoke of his love for his wife. He always told his kids to take care of Gayle when he wouldn't be around to do it himself.

Ever the adventurer, Marty's final journey was made to meet the Creator on June 5, 2025.