Jerald G. Martin Jr.'s Obituary
Jerry Martin November 6, 1930 – July 14, 2019 Jerald G. Martin, Jr. – Jerry – passed away peacefully, at home and in the company of loved ones, July 14, 2019. He was 88. Jerry was born November 6, 1930, in Frederick, Oklahoma, the 4th of five children to Dora Belle (Lynch) and Jerald G. Martin, Sr. His grandparents were Nathaniel George and Sarah Frances (Wood) Lynch and William Henry and Mabel Mae (Currey) Lynch. Jerry came into the world as the Great Depression was at its outset and the Dust Bowl was just around the corner. His recollections from Oklahoma were of a happy childhood with older siblings Mary, Paul and Bill – and of the excitement of a bouncing baby sister, Naomi. Occasional tornado scares sent the family to storm cellars, but it was drought and the economic downturn that took their toll and led the family to join other “Okies” in the trek west in 1935-36. His folks sold the family cow, chickens and all household goods they could get along without for $250. They made their way cross country, to Tacoma, where there was word of available jobs. (In later years, dad quite appreciated the book “The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl” by Timothy Egan, to the extent it outlined a history that, as a boy, he didn’t understand he was actually a part of.) Once in Tacoma, the family lived a few places while getting settled. They earned money to buy a small farm with pastures at 48th and Portland Avenue in Tacoma. The pastures were used in the early 1940s as a staging area for construction of a World War II housing project known as Salishan. From an early age, Jerry zoomed around the McKinley Hill and Portland Avenue areas of Tacoma on his bike as the neighborhood paperboy. His favorite foods (and there were a lot of them!) were probably oatmeal in his special bowl, vanilla ice cream, his mom’s homemade bread with blackberry jam, and a healthy pot of pinto beans boiled with ham hocks. He attended Sheridan Elementary School, Gault Junior High and Lincoln High School, from which he graduated in 1950. After high school, Jerry worked in the produce industry, eventually owning a produce market of his own on Market Street in downtown Tacoma. It was during that time he met the love of his life, Faye Seick. Faye was recently home from San Jose Bible College. She later recalled (with a smile) early dates with Jerry consisting of trimming lettuce together for his shop. Faye and Jerry married at McKinley Park Christian Church on September 22, 1956. They honeymooned at Lake Chelan. Faye and Jerry raised their three boys in North Tacoma - Jerry (Julie), Tim (Kim) and Mark (Jana). In this time Jerry worked at Manley’s Supermarkets in Fircrest, as produce manager. The family has grown with time to include grandchildren Jerry IV (Emma), Christopher (Jocelyn), Nicholas (Phil) and Catherine to son Jerry (and mom Kerrie); Max, Gust and Stella to son Tim; and Jacob to son Mark – along with four great-grandchildren - Chelsea, Leighton, William and Melody - and close friends who have come to be family - Brenda, Roberta and Jordan Justin and Brandt, Leslie, Sierra and Alexandra Bede. All the grandkids well remember making snickerdoodles with grandpa! They were his specialty, along with cinnamon rolls his sister taught him to make and peanut brittle bowls at Christmas time. Jerry was very well known for his smile and teasing he liked to do with those he loved most: his brothers and sisters, in-laws, nieces and nephews in a tight-knit family. Jerry’s siblings were Mary Wilson (Henry/Steve), Paul (Jennie), Bill (Lorraine) and his kid sister Naomi Wilson (Lyle.) He is survived by Naomi, sisters-in-laws Lorraine Martin and Bessie Lagasse, brother-in-law Ferd Seick and his wife Mary Joy and by dozens of loving nieces and nephews. Jerry and Faye enjoyed a wonderful, loving life together - 57-plus years of camping, family reunions, playing games, entertaining family and friends and traveling with family to Europe, Australia, Canada and throughout the Northwest. Jerry kept a garden full of roses. Many people thought roses were Jerry’s hobby. That is partly true. He mainly kept the roses to make mom happy with fresh bouquets. He grew roses because they made her happy. And that’s what made him happy. Faye passed away nearly five years ago – July 27, 2014. After Faye was gone, Jerry was strong. The family was very proud of the smile that never left him, to the end, and for the positive attitude he kept. But all he really wanted was to once more bring Faye coffee in the morning, cut roses for her in the afternoon, hold her hand in front of the TV in the evening, and lay by her side at night. They are together again. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Faye Seick Martin Endowed Scholarship Fund at Northwest University. Funds support students pursuing careers in nursing. More information here, https://apply.northwestu.edu/give/?designation=Endowed%20Scholarship, and here, https://www.facebook.com/165561633532618/posts/1083228368432602?s=1081907868&sfns=mo
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