John Dittmann Martin
Born: August 3rd, 1924
Died: February 3rd, 1998
Obituary
Services for John D. Martin, 73, of Davenport, will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, Davenport. Private burial will be at a later date in Aspen Grove Cemetery, Burlington, Iowa. Visitation is 4-7 p.m. today with prayers recited at 4 p.m. at Halligan-McCabe-Devries Funeral Home, Davenport. Mr. Martin died Tuesday, Feb. 3, 1998, at Genesis Medical Center, West Campus, Davenport. He taught in Yarmouth, Iowa, from 1953 to 1959; New Boston, Ill., from 11959 to 1961, and Davenport's Williams Junior High School from 1961 until his retirement in 1987. He was born Aug. 3, 1924, in Rock Island, to Merlin William and Anne Louise (dittman) Martin. He married Bonnie Jean Esau on Dec. 26, 1943, at St. John's Catholic Church, Burlington. He received his bachelor's degree from Drake University Des Moines, in 1952 and his masters degree from Northeast Missouri State Teachers College, Kirksville, in 1959. Mr. Martin served in the Army during World War II and was a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9128, Bettendorf. His memberships included St. Alphonsus Catholic Church and choir and Knights of Columbus Third Degree Loras Council 532. He was a former member of the Eagles Lodge, Burlington, and a member of Davenport Moose Club and Phi Delta Kappa fraternity, Davenport. Memorials may be made to St. Alphonsus Catholic Church. Survivors include his wife, Bonnie Jean; daughters, Katherine Pettit, Batesville, Ark., Theresa Duncombe, Davenport, and Mary Blackwell, Fort hood, Texas, a son, Thomas Martin, Davenport; 13 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. A brother, George F. Martin, preceded him in death May 2, 1996.