Kenneth LeRoy Martin departed this life and entered the presence of his Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ on July 4, 2019. He was born October 3, 1924 in Elgin, Nebraska to Orval and Nellie Martin as the oldest of six children. He grew up in the Park Center community near Elgin and then Bartlett, Nebraska where he graduated from Wheeler Central High School in 1942. He married Lillian Wyman on July 3, 1944 and soon thereafter, volunteered for the U.S. Army and left home for basic training. He was sent to Europe in early 1945 and served there through the end of World War II and the early post-war period, arriving back in the United States in February 1946. He graduated from Bob Jones University and during the years in school, daughters Sharyn and Marjorie were added to the family. He soon became pastor of the Berean church in Curtis, Nebraska and while in Curtis, three more children were added: Thomas, Judy and Rachel. He later became caretaker of grounds at Maranatha Bible Camp at Maxwell, Nebraska and in 1960 joined the staff of Nebraska Christian High School in Central City, Nebraska. This was followed by several years at Western Bible College in Denver, Colorado until he and Lillian owned and operated a Christian bookstore in Chadron, Nebraska for eleven years. They retired to Ord, Nebraska and later moved to Lincoln, Nebraska in 2002 where they spent their remaining years, continuing to serve their Lord in any way that they were able. They regularly attended Faith Bible Church and loved the Bible teaching and the people there.
Beginning in Curtis, and continuing in Maxwell, Central City, Denver and Chadron, Ken operated a printshop providing services to the schools where he was working as well as to other customers. He was an excellent handyman and provided those services to many people well into his 80's. He had a lifelong love of aviation and had hoped to be a pilot in World War II, but was rejected because of color blindness. During college, he was able to get his private pilot's license and owned two different small planes during the next few years. As a World War II vet, he was privileged to be on an Honor Flight of veterans in 2008 taking them to Washington DC to visit the WWII Memorial as well as other memorials and sights in the nation's capital. On his 90th birthday, he enjoyed a flight around the Lincoln area in a 4-seat Cessna (someone else was the pilot). He always enjoyed an airshow whenever it was possible to attend.
After serving as the pastor of the church in Curtis for several years, he was a part-time pastor of a church in Brady, NE and throughout his adult life, he often filled a pulpit where needed at many different churches. It was common for him to teach Sunday School, participate in small group Bible studies, speak at chapel services, etc. His faith was part of his everyday life and studying and teaching the Bible was something to which he gave a high priority, including within his own household.
Kenneth was preceded in death by his wife, Lillian, his parents, and four siblings. He is survived by one sister, Verna Mae Baldwin of Happy Valley, Oregon; five children, Sharyn (Jerry) Regier of Ashburn, VA, Marjorie (Wayne) Freedman of Council, ID, Thomas (Janell) Martin of Lincoln, NE, Judy (Mark) Rutter of Yankton, SD and Rachel (Dennis) Dugger of Midland, MI; 18 grandchildren, and 45 great-grandchildren.
A graveside service will be held with military honors on July 15, 2019, 10:00 am at Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery, 6800 S 14th St, Lincoln, NE followed by a celebration of his life at 11:30 to be held at Faith Bible Church, 6201 S 84th St in Lincoln with lunch following.
Condolences may be left at, lincolnfh.com
