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Kenneth J. Martin, 82, went to his heavenly home with his family by his side on April 14, 2023. Ken was born on December 9, 1940, in the town of Luxemburg, Wisconsin to the late George and Alice (Greatens) Martin. He moved to De Pere, Wisconsin in 1954 to farm with his father and attend St. Francis Catholic Grade School and Abbott Pennings High School. He chose the love of his life at a High School football game as she marched in the band playing a coronet. He married Diane M. Scray on May 4, 1963, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in De Pere, Wisconsin. Her parents, Leo and Martha Scray, once they got to know him, loved him as their own son. Ken came from a small family and Diane came from a family of eight….He never blinked an eye, but fit in. Being a people lover, He often struck up conversations with those he met on a daily basis asking, “Where are you from?†Ken was gifted with talented hands. His working years consisted of solving problems on a daily basis designing parts to fix those problems. Ken was a dedicated family man and provider. Many of his favorite family memories were made up north during the summers where he fished, built a pontoon boat, swam, picked blackberries and had bonfires with his family. Also, up north, the family grew the Martin Christmas tree farm. Ken maintained his Real Estate License throughout the years. He loved holidays and at Christmas he dressed up as Santa Claus and Mom would drive him around to the homes of friends’ children delivering brown bags with goodies. Being a man of the earth, he cultivated an annual garden. One year he harvested over 570+ zucchini. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus holding a Third and Fourth Degree. He enjoyed ushering at church. He attended the MSRA-Minnesota Street Rod Association for 25 years that fed his passion for classic cars. As an Arizona snowbird at the RV park, he had hobbies of picking citrus (oranges, grapefruit, and lemons); making clocks, belts and purses; and tutoring at the silversmith shop creating jewelry. Ken is survived by his wife of 59 years, Diane M. Martin; two daughters and one son: Lisa (Peter) Walraven, De Pere, WI; and daughter, Beth Martin, Irvine, CA; and son, Tony Martin, Green Bay, WI. The family has requested a private service. We want to thank Unity Hospice for all their compassionate help at this time.
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