Thomas "Tom" Martin Obituary (1924 - 2020)

Thomas Gerald "Jerry" / "Tom" Martin Mesa, Arizona formerly of Lansing, Michigan Thomas Gerald Martin was born on Leap Year Day, February 29, 1924. He put on his heavenly wings on December 30, 2020 in Mesa, Arizona at the age of 96. He was born at home on N. Cedar Street in Lansing, Michigan, to Thomas and Jessie (Aird) Martin. Growing up, he was known to family and friends alike as Jerry. In fact, at his graduation from Lansing Everett High School, when the name Thomas Gerald Martin was called out, everyone looked around in bewilderment. He had gone by "Jerry" all the way through school without anyone knowing his legal name. He felt like he had played a joke on everyone. After high school, Jerry tried to enlist in the Navy in 1943, but before he was accepted, he was drafted into the Army where he was deployed to serve in the South Pacific until the end of WWII at bases in Australia, the Philippines, and in Japan during the occupation following Japan's surrender. On September 24, 1949 he married Ruth Beachnau at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in East Lansing, Michigan. They built a house in a section of Delhi Township that eventually became a new part of the City of Lansing. Over the years, the house expanded as their family grew to include seven children. Most of that work, from digging and laying the foundations for the additions, to installing hardwood floors and drywall, was done with their own hands. In addition to their own children, the house was often filled with the activity of quite a few foreign exchange students, many of whom have stayed in touch with "Mom" and "Dad" to this day. Jerry and Ruth continued to live in this same home until Ruth required full time nursing care in 2016. Jerry's career with the U.S. Post Office began in 1948, where he soon ended up as a Special Delivery carrier until 1957. He spent many years as the art director at WILX-TV and, for a time, even played Sailor Tom, the cartoon-drawing sidekick to Captain Barnacle on the live kid's program showing Popeye cartoons. It was at this television job that people began to call him "Tom." In 1974 Tom returned to the Post Office and worked there until he retired in 1987. Tom and Ruth loved traveling, and the family spent many summer vacations on camping trips. Those trips ranged from New England to upstate New York to Native American burial mounds in Iowa and numerous trips in northern Michigan, including the Upper Peninsula. They developed a fondness for Canada, especially Nova Scotia and Alberta, where they developed some life-long friendships with people they met. After retirement, they regularly traveled to visit and stay with family and friends in Florida, Arizona, California, Tennessee, and England, including Martin relatives in Cornwall, In their later years, they loved riding around Michigan with their son, exploring the sights of countless, out of the way villages and burgs. Tom converted to Catholicism before marrying Ruth. He deeply loved his church and was very active in parish activities; especially the annual Cristo Rey Fiesta. He often utilized his artistic talents in service to the church and continued to assist in making rosaries for his first parish, Immaculate Heart of Mary, until the end. Due to his declining health, it was decided that Tom live with his daughter Cheryl in Arizona during the last few years of his life. Cheryl and her son Scott lovingly cared for his needs and provided him with a very comfortable life in his final years. Tom was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Ruth; his in-laws, Jerome and Rose (Schohl) Beachnau; brother Jack and sister-in-law Phyllis (French) Martin; brother-in-law Frank Beachnau; sister-in-law Barbara (Beachnau) Carnes, brothers-in-law Leland Hickok and Michael Wilber; son-in-law Donald Freeman, granddaughter-in-law Jennifer (Kroll) Martin, and great-grandson Jackson Freeman. Surviving are his children: Steven (Susan) Martin, Cheryl Freeman, Diane (Gerald) DuBois, David Martin, James Martin, Mary Martin (Dale Daniels), and Denise Martin; sister-in-law Jane Beachnau, brother-in-law Harold (Kathleen) Beachnau and sister-in-law Helen Wilber; cousins Bob and Don Martin; twelve grandchildren, nine step-grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren, one great-great-granddaughter, many nieces, nephews and cousins. Our family would like to give special thanks to our sister Cheryl and her son Scott for being Dad's caregivers throughout his final journey. The family would also like to thank the staffs of Area Agency on Aging and Devoted Guardians for all of the services they have provided during Tom's residency in Mesa. We also would like to thank Hospice of the Valley for his end of life care. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Area Agency on Aging, Region One, 1366 E. Thomas Rd., #108, Phoenix, AZ 85014; aaaphx.org or Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower St., Phoenix, AZ 85014, hov.org. To share memories and condolences please visit www.SkinnerFuneralHomes.com.