Martin Ming-Chen Wang

Martin was born in Houbi, Taiwan, on January 11, 1936, to Wang Yao Hong and Chen Mei Ying. In his native Taiwanese dialect, his name was pronounced Ong Beng Shing. He was given the name Martin by an English teacher, the name he would carry to America.

Martin graduated from National Taiwan University with a degree in Agricultural Chemistry. He later worked in Taipei for the United States Navy at NAMRU 2 in the Physiology and Metabolic-Biochemistry Laboratories. In 1966, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to study at Vanderbilt University, where he received his PhD in Physiology. In Nashville, he met the love of his life, the former Carolyn Wellman. They married in April 1969. After finishing his studies, they moved to Columbus, Ohio, for Martin’s job with Chemical Abstracts Service, where he worked until retirement.

Martin was a lifelong learner who passionately pursued a variety of interests. He was a talented musician and singer who often had his guitar by his side, including when he met his wife. When arthritis took the ability to play guitar from him, he taught himself to play the erhu, a traditional Chinese instrument. He played instruments including piano and bass by ear and taught himself to play the trumpet just so that he could play a song he once heard in a movie. Reading The Three Musketeers as a child led to a lifelong interest in swords. He became a member of the Vanderbilt club fencing team and participated with the local kendo society. He was an avid reader and learner and spent the last several years teaching himself his fifth language, Spanish.

But what Martin loved most in life was people. He could walk into any room and make new friends. He loved meeting people from all different backgrounds and walks of life. And his family was his greatest joy. We were so blessed to have him in our lives and are so grateful for the gift of him.

He is survived by his wife and best friend of 56 years, Carolyn; his daughter and son-in-law, Elizabeth and Ryan Squire; his grandchildren, Christian and Anna; and his beloved brothers and sisters, brother and sister-in-law, nieces and nephews, and extended family members in Taiwan and the United States.

A visitation in Martin’s honor will be held at Schoedinger Funeral Home Northwest, located at 1740 Zollinger Rd., Columbus, OH 43221, on Saturday, May 31, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.