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Charles
A. Martin MARTIN, CHARLES A. --Charles Abramson Martin, US Air Force Lt Colonel retired, flew his final mission to be with the Lord on July 16, 2012. A memorial service will be held at Trinity United Methodist, 1413 South Union Street at 10 AM on Saturday, July 21, with internment following in South Park cemetery. |
Born in Plain Dealing, Louisiana, on April 5, 1916, Charlie first came to Roswell in 1937, where he graduated from New Mexico Military Institute in 1939, married Nelwyn Williams in 1940 after pilot training, and had an outstanding career as a military officer for 28 years, including flying combat in World War II. A painting of one of his bombing missions over Hamburg, Germany, in 1944, hangs in the library at NMMI.
While at NMMI, he participated in football, basketball, and track, where his record in the high hurdles stood for years. After graduating from NMMI, his 28 years of service took him to nine states and overseas to England, Panama, Morocco, Japan, and Vietnam.
Charlie’s first assignment at Walker AFB in 1961 was to manage the installation of the twelve missile sites around Roswell. After serving a year in Vietnam, he returned to Walker to help decommission the base and retired here in 1967.
Over several years, he and Nelwyn sponsored 25 Vietnamese war refugees to become American citizens. Many still reside in Roswell.
For over fifty years, he was a tireless supporter for Trinity United Methodist Church and the Mid Day Lions Club, where he served as president for several years and helped raise money for children’s eyeglasses. Since 2003, he has been a multiple medal winner in the New Mexico and National Senior Olympics, where he won eleven gold medals in shuffleboard, receiving the Senior Olympics Spirit Athlete Award for Roswell in 2008.
Last summer he won the silver medal in Shuffleboard at Nationals. Charles enjoyed bowling with the Senior Leagues at the Town & Country Bowling Center where he won numerous awards including medals at the New Mexico Senior Olympics for bowling.
He is survived by son Charles E Martin and wife Patty of Los Alamos, New Mexico, son Larry N Martin of Roswell, son Michael A Martin (Roswell HS, 1962) and wife Nancy of Johnstown, Colorado, son William A Martin (RHS 66) and wife Kimberly of Prosper, Texas, and daughter Betty Martin (RHS 68) of Seattle, Washington. He leaves fifteen grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Nelwyn, and sisters Edith Draper of Louisiana and Marie Fuller and Maurine Riordan, both of Roswell.
In lieu of flowers, the Martin family asks that donations be sent in his name to Trinity United Methodist Church, 1413 S Union, Roswell, NM, 88201.
Arrangements are under the directions of LaGrone Funeral Chapel. Please sign the online guestbook at http://www.lagronefuneralchapels.com.