William Delbert Martin of Caro, age 73, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, August 19, 2014 at St. Mary’s of Michigan in Saginaw. He was born October 23, 1940 in Caro, the son of the late Leo Delbert and Madeline (Freeman) Martin. Bill was a 1960 graduate of Caro High School, and on September 10, 1960 he was united in marriage with the former Viola Nagy in Caro, and she survives him. He was employed with Eaton Foundry and Grede Foundry in Vassar as a supervisor, retiring in 1993 after more than thirty years of service. Bill was a member of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, a Boy Scout assistant leader in Caro, a Caro Jaycees Little League manager, and was very active at Wahjamega Country Church where he served as Boys Brigade Leader and Sunday School teacher. Bill was an avid hunter, fisherman and model train collector, and enjoyed traveling the country and world with his wife. He trained German Shorthaired Pointers and Beagle hunting dogs and owned Pleasant Hill Kennels in Caro for twenty-five years. Bill and his wife wintered in Florida for twenty years where he was a DJ for his Florida senior park community.
Bill is survived by his wife of fifty-three years, Viola Martin of Caro; two daughters, Wendy Martin of Mt. Pleasant, Billie Jo Davies and her husband, Ryan, of Caro; seven grandchildren; Megan, William, Brittany and Kelsey Jenkins, Mitchell and Lindsey Davies, Chad Brady; five great-grandchildren, Logan and Paige Carpenter, Hunter and Cheyenne Craft, Aiden Bryson; siblings, John Martin of Mt. Pleasant, Virginia & Robert LaMere of Bay City; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one daughter, Julie Ann Marie Martin in 2011.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, August 22, 2014 at the Ransford Collon Funeral Home in Caro with Pastor Robert Farison officiating. Burial will follow at Indianfields Township Cemetery in Caro. The family will receive friends at the Ransford Collon Funeral Home on Thursday from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and on Friday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service at 11:00 a.m. Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorial contributions to the City Rescue Mission of Saginaw or the charity of the donor’s choice.