Norman Kittell Martin

Norman Kittell Martin transitioned to eternal peace and rest on Tuesday, March 10, surrounded by his wife of 69 years, Lorraine, and several of his children. He has been a lodestar of generosity, honor, and dedication to God, family, work, and country. After 93 years of selfless love and generosity, he left this world much better than he found it.

Born in 1926 to Mildred and Roy Martin of Alexandria, Louisiana, Norman was the fourth of five children. Growing up during the depression, he embodied the strong work ethic of his parents and the frugality of the times. During the final year of WWII, he served in the U.S. Army Air Corp. In the summer of 1948, while hiking up a mountain in Colorado, Norman met the love of his life, Lorraine Bentley from Winthrop Minnesota. They married and made their home in Alexandria, LA, and started a family with gusto. In four years they had five children: Patti, Kit, Brenda, Lisa, Linda. At a more relaxed pace over the next 10 years, Robert and Julia came along. For Norman's first career, he procured and managed timberland in the family business: Roy O Martin Lumber Co. Norman also ran the timber treatment facility. Norman was recognized by the lumber industry for leading ROM into cutting-edge conservation and fire-prevention practices. He cultivated in his family an ardent love for nature, but he was mostly unsuccessful at teaching us children the names of his beloved trees. In 1967, Norman turned entrepreneur and started a real estate development company. His passion for helping those less fortunate led him to build affordable housing for low-income people. In this respect, and without any self-promotion, he was a trail-blazer for equal opportunity and human dignity in central Louisiana. Even while raising seven active children and a running his thriving business, Norman was a voracious learner. His main two interests, besides his family, were business and religion. He learned real estate development on his own. Over several years he taught himself American Sign Language in order to minister to the deaf in his church. In his 70's, he transitioned from real estate to a successful third career of full-time investing. Above all, Norman was a "humble servant" of Christ. He was a committed churchman, deacon, and supporter of every church he and Lorraine attended. His strong Christian faith and convictions led him to persistently give away most anything he had: money, clothes, even leftover food from the fridge, which, by the way, was a constant source of embarrassment for his children. He sincerely wanted to share his bounty, as his Christian vocation, with the less fortunate.

Norman was known as a civic mover and shaker in central Louisiana. He co-founded the Central Louisiana Community Foundation. He also founded the Alexandria chapter of Habitat for Humanity, which inspired other family members' involvement in Habitat as well. He and Lorraine supported too many charitable organizations to list, but we should mention the Martin Performing Arts Center at Louisiana College, The Kauffman Center in Kansas City, the KC Community Foundation, Rotary, Gideons, Red Cross, Salvation Army, and Harvesters. His manner with others was sincere interest and easy conversation without seeking attention for himself. In many ways, Norman was a man of simple tastes and few desires. He always had "more than one man could use in a lifetime" of everything, and was perpetually bewildered when Lorraine bought him a second pair of shoes, or gave him a new bathrobe to replace his thread-bare one. In good ironic fashion, he would be appalled by the length and cost of this obituary! Norman lived in a perpetual state of gratitude, whether it was a hot meal, cup of coffee, or a friend who stopped by to visit. In his last few years, this state was amplified over the simplest acts of kindness from his caregivers and his family members.

Because Norman lived such a long and full life, he is predeceased by several family members: parents Roy and Mildred, his sister, Virginia, brothers Ellis and Roy Jr., grandsons Lee and Jake, and son-in-law John Wheeler. Their seven children, Patti Wheeler, Kit Martin, Brenda Rabalais, Linda Smith, Lisa Zimmerman and her husband Steve McClure, Robert Martin and his wife Carol Thrane, Julia Jones and her husband Bob continue to benefit from their parents' generosity and love. Norman and Lorraine are blessed with 13 living grandchildren and their spouses: John and Mara Wheeler, Courtney and Meredith Rabalais, Martin Smith, Liz and Seth Robinson, Zach and Monica Zimmerman, Tyler and Elysia Zimmerman, Cy and Kaitlyn Zimmerman, Cliff and Courtney Zimmerman, Aubrey Thrane, Madison Thrane, Dustin Jones, Cary Jones, and Cam Jones. Their great grandchildren are: Cole, Hadley, Harper, McKinley, Cooper, Callen, Cole, Matthew, Miles, Blakeley, and Kit.

The family would like to thank the many people who cared for him and enriched his life: Elizabeth, Rebecca, Ruth, Agnes, Connie, Dr. Delcambre, Tierney, Donna, and all of the caregivers and nurses at Kansas City Hospice House.

A memorial service will be held in both Kansas City and Alexandria at a later date to be determined. To honor Norman's selflessness, in lieu of flowers please donate to Habitat for Humanity, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City Hospice House, or the charity of your choice. Pay for someone's meal, feed the birds, give clothes away, plant some trees, pay it forward and make each day count.