George Martin

George Erwin Martin 1905 2007 George Erwin Martin, age 101, passed away Monday, February 19, 2007 at Windsor Place in Coffeyville. Mr. Martin was born on October 28, 1905 at rural Valeda, Kansas to Peter Harrison and Zora Ettie Vidito Martin. He grew up in the area and attended schools in Valeda. As a young man, he and his brother, Harley, formed a business partnership with their father operating a stock ranch and farm. In approximately 1936 he left Kansas and moved to Los Angeles, California where he worked at the Union Stockyards. After two years of employment he learned the skill of cattle buying and began employment for the Sterling Meat Corporation. Mr. Martin was a member of the Valeda United Methodist Church, American Legion Post 20 of Coffeyville. During WWII Mr. Martin served in the United States Army Infantry and was discharged in 1945. On August 24, 1942 he married Ruby Redd Muir in Yuma, Arizona. Following his military discharge, he returned to buying cattle; working for several food markets including Alpha Beta, California Cotton Oil Corporation, Luer Packing Company, Alakene Cattle Corporation and Jack Torpey Cattle Company. In 1965 George moved to Conway, Arkansas where he continued as a cattle buyer for the next 20 years for the Lewis Auction Barn. On October 2, 1976 Mrs. Martin died in Whittier, California. In 1994 Mr. Martin was honored in high prestige at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City with the Chester A. Reynolds Trophy. The award was presented by the movie actor, Hugh OBrien for promoting the cattle business. His nephew, Gary Schaub, wrote Georges biography Handshakes and Heartaches The Story of George Martin, Cattle Buyer in 1993. George lived his life upon the cattlemans creed that his word was his bond and that a handshake deal could never be broken. He is survived by brother, Wayne Martin of Pittsburg, Kansas; 2 sisters, Lula Martin Cunningham of Loomis, California amp; Winnona Martin Seger Storm, Coffeyville, Kansas, and Ruby Martin Straub Crawford of South Coffeyville, Oklahoma; step-grandsons, Christopher Mailhoit; step-granddaughter, Kathleen Palmer; two step-great-grandchildren; four step-great-great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He is also preceded in death by his parents and one step-grandson, David Mailhoit, one step-daughter, Betty Muir Mailhoit, four sisters, infant sister, Virgie Martin, Frances Roberts, Hazel Martin Schaub, Yvenne Shook, three brothers, Harley Earl Martin, Arthur Martin and Ellsworth Martin. Visitation and calling hours will be held on Friday, February 23, 2007 from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the Penwell-Gabel Ford-Wulf-Bruns Chapel, 2405 Woodland Ave., Coffeyville. Funeral services will be held at the Penwell-Gabel Ford-Wulf-Bruns Funeral Home Chapel at, 10:00 a.m., Saturday, February 24, 2007 with Rev. Susan Daniel-Brey of the Valeda United Methodist Church presiding. Burial will follow at Penwell-Gabels Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial contributions can be made to Valeda United Methodist Church or Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice in care of the funeral home. To leave a special message for the family online, visit www.PenwellGabel.com.