Wendell Francis Martin

Posted

Wendell Francis “Pop” Martin, 95, was escorted by angels to heaven May 21 with his family at his side. He is now reunited with his lifelong love, Erma Grace (Vernooy) Martin, whom he married Sept. 18, 1948 and had a long and happy 68-year marriage. Erma predeceased him on Jan. 1, 2017.  

Wendell was born June 10, 1928, the first child of Wendell Lincoln Martin and Elizabeth (Sackett) Martin, and grew upon on the family farm, Prairie Hill Farm, on MacArthur Hill Road, Bloomville. Wendell started school in one room schoolhouse on MacArthur Hill and attended school in Bloomville and graduated the newly built South Kortright Central School in 1946, were he met the love of his life, Erma. While in school, he played baseball and basketball for the South Kortright Rams, earning a baseball scholarship to SUNY Morrisville, were he played both sports. He graduated SUNY Morrisville in 1948 with an associates degree in agricultural engineering.

After college, Wendell started farming on Prairie Hill with Erma, his father and Uncle Lloyd Martin. He was a chicken farmer for first two years before buying his lifelong home, McMurdy Brook Farm, on McMurdy Brook Road, Hobart. He started a small dairy farm and over the next sixty years extended the herd to over 150 animals, and made numerous improvements to his farm, adding silos, barns, machine sheds and improving land with diversion ditches, tiling fields and planting of trees. He received numerous awards for his conservation efforts on his farm and was 1954 Farmer of Year. He was also the last generation to farm with horses - he sold his horses in 1953 and purchased a WD-45 Allis-Chalmers tractor from Foote’s in Hobart, which he still owns today.

He never truly retired farming after selling the cows in 2008, he continued to farm as a hay farming selling hay. He also liked driving around the farm with his great grandson Garrett in his gator.  

Wendell was also a good neighbor and friend willing to help when someone needed it. He was active in his community; he served as a director on Delaware County Farm Bureau board. He also served as Kortright assessor, councilmember and supervisor.

His great joy was his family. He often played baseball with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, gave them rides on the tractor or in his gator, or built playhouses and barns from his natural talent as a carpenter. He often spent time reading with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In his later years, he liked to watch Sunday afternoon football, FOX News, and enjoyed Bill O’Reilly and Tucker Carlson particularly. He also enjoyed westerns and comedies.

Wendell was predeceased by his parents and siblings Betty, Frank, James, David, Stan, Jerry and Donny.

He is survived by his son, Edwin W. Martin (wife Marie), daughter Jacquelyn A. Cook (husband Rich), all of South Kortright, grandson Duane Martin, granddaughter Stephanie Martin (Kevin Sanford) of South Kortright, granddaughter Michelle Sicari (husband Sal) of Hobart, granddaughter Jessica Sobers (Oneonta) and granddaughter Vickie Sveda (husband Mike) of Holtsville, Long Island. He also survived by great-grandson Garrett Olson (Megan Fallon) of South Kortright, great-granddaughter Emma Sicari of Hobart, great-granddaughter Lexi Sobers (Oneonta), great-granddaughter Ava Mattice and great-grandson Logan Sveda of Holtsville. He is also survived by sister Jeanne (Martin) Pittenger of Seattle, Wash., and cousin Sally Whitney of Stamford, along with many cousins, nieces and nephews.

The family would like to extend their appreciation and thanks to the compassion, excellent and professional care the staff at O’Connor Hospital shown Wendell in his final days.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be given in Wendell’s name to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or O’Connor Hospital in Delhi.

Calling hours will be Friday, June 2, from 4 to 7 p.m. at MacArthur Funeral Home in Stamford. A Celebration of Life will be held June 3 from 11 a.m. to noon at MacArthur Funeral Home in Stamford, followed by burial at Riverside Cemetery in Bloomville.