Death Notices
Friday, September 19, 2008 10:49 AM PDT
Paul E. Martin
Dec. 11, 1923 - Sept. 16, 2008
Vale
Paul E. Martin, 84, passed away after a long illness Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008, in Meridian with his wife by his side.
Viewing will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday Sept. 19, 2008, at the Vale Church of the Nazarene. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, 2008, at Vale Christian Church. Graveside services to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorials made be sent to the Vale Church of the Nazarene for mission work.
He was born Dec. 11, 1923, in Arock to Oscar and Luretta Martin. Since 1934, Paul spent his life within the same section of land near Vale, where his family took this land from sagebrush, and he turned it into a prosperous cattle operation. Paul was a Godly man, a family man, a cattleman and cowboy.
His dream of being a cowboy and owning cattle sprang from an early encounter at age 8 with a real-life cowboy, who was driving a herd past the family farm that stampeded through their garden. The gentleman cowboy returned, tipped his hat to his mother and promised to pay for the damages which so impressed Paul that he knew that’s what he wanted to be.
At the age of 17, Paul rode for the Cattlemen’s Association where he fell in love with Juniper Mountain. He and Berta would later purchase the mountain as part of their cattle operation. They trailed cattle back and forth for 19 years.
Paul married Berta Lemons Sept. 19, 1943, just before enlisting in the Navy, where he served in WWII as a trainer on the operation of small landing craft. He and Berta raised three children — two daughters and one son. Along with raising a family and building up his own cattle operation with a borrowed cow, one of his favorite jobs was to run the swing gates at the sale yards in Caldwell, Ontario and Vale.
Following the death of his first wife, Paul married Patricia Tindall Aug. 25, 1991. With a new help-mate by his side, Paul continued to run cattle and work the ranch.
Paul was a faithful member of the Vale Church of the Nazarene. At the age of 10, he became a charter member. He served the church in many positions over the years but most loved teaching the Junior Boys Sunday School class. Paul’s faith and love of Jesus Christ was demonstrated through his honest dealings, integrity, quiet demeanor and gentle wisdom. This big-hearted, Godly man will be greatly missed by all.
Paul is survived by his wife, Patricia; daughters Sharon (Don) Clark, Elaine (Gary) Crea; son, Curtis (Cheryl) Martin; brother, Beryl (Opal) Martin; two sisters, Grace Holton and Shirley (Marvin) Miller; Patricia’s daughters, Janel Tindall and Kelly (Tim) Robertson; as well as seven grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Paul was preceded in death by his wife, Berta; parents, Oscar and Luretta; brother, Rev. Vern Martin; and brother-in-law, Lawrence Holton.
