KENNETH JOSEPH MARTIN

• Born January 17, 1960 in Denver, Denver County, Colorado

• Parents - Clifford A. Martin and Norma Alys Thompson

• Married Luana Bixby on 11 November 1982 in Douglas, Converse County, Wyoming. Divorced in Douglas, Converse County, Wyoming.

• One Child - Laura Katrine Marie Martin - private

  • One grandchild - private

• Died - between 23 June and 24 June 2006 in Lander, Fremont County, Wyoming

  • Obituary

  • Eulogy

  • Celebration of Life Services

• Cremation followed. He is honored on my Thompson Memorial Stones page.

EDUCATION

• North Side Grade School, Lander, Fremont County, Wyoming

• Sterrett Junior High School, Lander, Fremont County, Wyoming

• Spokane High School, Spokane, Washington

• Converse County Junior/Senior High School, Douglas, Converse County, Wyoming

  • Graduated June 1979

• Attended Casper College, Casper, Wyoming and Central Wyoming College, Riverton, Fremont County, Wyoming from the 1980s to the present.

• Attended JETS Technical School in Riverton, Wyoming in the late 1980s.

• Graduated from Kandiah's Shaolin Kung-Fu in 1976? with a black belt in Karate. See photo album for a photo and story when he received his Purple Belt and Advanced Certificate.

• Learned gunsmithing in 1998.

INTERESTS, HOBBIES AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

• Karate - attained his black belt in Karate in 1976? in Lander, Fremont County, Wyoming from Kandiah's Shaolin Kung-Fu in Lander, Fremont County, Wyoming.

• Participated in gymnastics both in Spokane, Washington and Douglas High School in Douglas, Wyoming, earning his letter in the sport at Douglas High School.

• He was a member of the Junior Police Cadets in Spokane, Washington.

• Until his health prevented him from doing so, he loved to hunt both deer and elk, as well as fishing. He enjoyed bicycling.

• Loved to collect, rebuild and participate in ham radios.

• Loved to rebuild older model computers and equipment.

• At one point in time, he considered becoming a chef. He particularly loved Japanese cooking. He collected many Japanese books and items.

• Collected all types of music, especially Celtic and Japanese.

• He was an excellent artist, an example of which was used on the cover of his Celebration of Life Services pamphlet on 3 July 2006.

• Was a member of Faith Lutheran Church, Lander, Fremont County, Wyoming.

Prior to working for the City of Douglas, Ken learned the carpet and tile installation trade from his father. Ken sustained an irreversible back injury while working as a mechanic for the City of Douglas. That injury opened the door for more debillitating diseases, forcing him onto Social Security Disability in the late 1980s. He kept busy with his hobbies, drafting, computers and taking what education classes he could.

Ken was always there to help me, whether it was with car repairs or house repairs. And after I too left Wyoming, he kept in touch quite often. Many times it would be to tell me of something new he had learned either in school or on his own. And when he knew I was down because of health such as surgery, his calls were frequent - just to check on me. I will always count him as one of my best friends.

He was one of two primary caregivers for his Mother who was my sister, even though his own health was poor. He would either take her shopping or do her shopping for her, pick up prescriptions and other items for her at the drug store. And in all her hospital stays in the last few years, afterwards Ken would stay with her at her home until she was better enough for him to go home. I would not attempt to recall the number of times I called him or his sister when my phone calls would not rouse her, regardless of time of day.

From the day she was born, Ken's daughter was the light of his life. Even though he had not been able to see her for some time prior to his death, there was not a day went by that he did not say a prayer for her safety and ask God to pass on to her his love.

Ken had a very deep abiding faith in our Lord. The poem on the inside of his Celebration of Life pamphlet was found in his billfold. And the poem I AM by Helen Mallicoat we found taped right above his computer monitor.

PHOTO ALBUM

Page created November 12, 2006 by Mary Thompson Saban

Counter added November 13, 2006