James M. Martin

James M. Martin, 96, formerly of Annville, spent the last years of his life at the Lebanon Valley Brethren Home in Palmyra and died there on June 2, 2014. He was the husband of the late Elizabeth Gingrich Martin who died in 1994. Born in Rheems, Lancaster County on May 22, 1918, he was the son of the late Rev. Nathan and Elizabeth McDannel Martin. Jim began his lifetime teaching career in September of 1939 in a one room schoolhouse in Clay Township, Lancaster County and retired in 1981 as an English Teacher with the Annville-Cleona School District. His career was temporarily interrupted when he was drafted into Civilian Public Service during WW II from 1943-1946, when he served in a hospital in Mansfield, Connecticut and delivered horses to Poland as a “sea-going cowboy.” He was a 1935 graduate of Lebanon High School, a 1939 graduate of Elizabethtown College, and received his master's degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1950. Jim was a member of the Annville Church of the Brethren since 1966 where he was active in many leadership positions and a former member of the Lebanon Church of the Brethren where he was church organist. He was also a member and past president of the Lebanon County Educational Honor Society and a volunteer in the Emergency Department at the M. S. Hershey Medical Center from 1995-2010. Surviving is a son Donald E. Martin, M.D. husband of Cathy (Mease) Martin of Palmyra, a daughter Janice M. wife of Paul Wessell of Hershey, grandchildren Susan (Martin) wife of Derek Thurman, Marc husband of Sara Martin, Seth husband of Emily Martin, Philip husband of Megan Wessell, Anne Wessell, and two great grandchildren Caryn and Mason Thurman. Funeral services will be held on Sunday at 2:00 PM at the Annville Church of the Brethren, 495 E. Maple Street, Annville with the Rev. James Beckwith officiating. Visitation will be held on Sunday from 1-2 PM prior to the service at the Church. A time of fellowship will be held immediately following the service in the Church Social Hall prior to interment in South Annville Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Brethren Disaster Ministries, P.O. Box 188, New Windsor, MD 21776 in Jim's memory. You may also contribute on line at www.brethren.org.

James M. Martin

May 22, 1918 - June 2, 2014