Stanley "Stan" Martin Jr.

1929 - 2022

Stanley Martin, Jr. passed away on May 24, 2022 at the age of 93 at his home in Easton MD surrounded by his family and his little Yorkie, Sparky. Stan's life was defined by a life-long passion for education, aviation, a strong sense of adventure, and love for his family. He was a natural born leader.

As a young boy in Skokie, IL, Stan was designing and building model airplanes as soon as he could hold an X-ACTO knife. His efforts were recognized by the local paper and ultimately by his high school physics teacher who offered to help Stan get into the Massachusetts Institute of

Technology (MIT). Stan credits his teacher with opening the door to the MIT Class of 1950 and a successful career in the emerging helicopter industry.

After graduation, Stan joined Bell Helicopter where he spent his entire career, highlighted by international assignments in Italy and Germany. He was instrumental in the design and production of the A-102 helicopter, which became the first-ever commercially certified

helicopter in Italy in 1960. In Germany, Stan and the Bell team established Bell Aerospace GmbH which included the coproduction of 352 helicopters. He held numerous technical engineering positions, and served as VP of Production Operations for Bell's subsidiarity in Iran.

His proudest achievement was managing the technical scope on the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor from inception of the Bell-Boeing teaming agreement in 1982 until Stan's retirement as V-22 Technical Director in 1991. His work positioned the V-22 for transition to become a work-horse for the Marine

Corps, Air Force, Navy and Japan.

Stan served two years of active duty as an Air Force officer at the Wright Air Development Center in Dayton, OH where he tested helicopter rotor systems and managed several aeronautical

research programs.

Stan was active in many organizations which promoted the rotorcraft industry, including the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board of the National Research Council. He served as President and then Chairman of the American Helicopter Society (AHS), and in May 1992 he was awarded the AHS Paul E. Haueter award for his contributions to VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) aircraft development. Separately, he was appointed the rotorcraft industry chair on the NASA Aeronautics Advisory Committee committee on civil tiltrotor research programs.

Flying and sailing were significant parts of his personal life. He earned his student flight certificate at the age of 16 in a Piper Cub and ultimately received his commercial certificate in fixed and rotary wing aircraft. He was qualified in multiple aircraft types and he later owned a Cessna

Skylane which he enjoyed with family and friends.

On the water, Stan initially belonged to the Soling sailboat racing group in Dallas, TX, and after moving to Maryland he graduated to larger boats, including an Island Packet which he captained to Bermuda, sailed along the east coast, and had many adventures in the Chesapeake Bay.

He loved to travel and embedded that love into his children and grandchildren! While working for Bell in Germany, he and the family drove their VW microbus across Europe from Vesteralen, Norway north of the Arctic Circle to Istanbul, Turkey and beyond. They skied the Alps, kayaked on the Rhine River, and saw reindeer herds in the midnight sun in Lapland, to name a few. Back in the US, Stan and family members climbed Longs Peak and Cloud Peak, hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, camped in Denali National Park (with a

few new grizzly friends!), traveled to Churchill, Canada to see polar bears in their natural habitat, and so much more! He was also an enthusiastic participant in MIT-sponsored adventures, including a cruise up to Wrangel Island and East Siberia to study the effects of climate change.

Stan met Beverley, his wife of 24 years, on a tall ship. Parades of sail punctuated their early marriage. They shared a passion for sailing, flying, and exploration, and made memories together all over the world.

Here in Easton, Stan was a sought after speaker on climate change and the development of the V22 Osprey.

Stan was preceded in death by his wives Patricia Frisbie and Ann Duff. He is survived by his loving wife Beverley, and by his three children and their spouses, Christy and Paul Gerrits, Debbie and Brad Saltzman, Rick and Lisa Martin, and by his step-daughters and their

families, Julie and Chris Nee, Sarah Aires and Nancy Eikler, along with 8 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren with one more on the way. MIT education lives on in Stan's children and grandchildren, and hopes are high for the next generation as well.

A Celebration of Life will be held on 7/30/22 at Tred Avon Yacht Club.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in his name to Talbot Hospice Donations, 586 Cynwood Dr., Easton, MD 21601.