William Martens Jr.

In the spring of ’33 during the early morning hours of March 22, 1933, William (Bill) Martens, Jr. was born to William and Goldie. It was a pre-dawn Wednesday in the small farming town of Reedley, California where Bill became the 4th boy of 6 who would call each other brothers. Together their childhood spanned the bleak economic years known as The Great Depression.

After moving around to a few rural farm communities in the Central Valley, Bill’s family once again settled in Reedley. Here Bill began high school at Reedley High where he played and lettered in football. After meeting Barbara on an evening hike at Hartland Christian Camp, he started attending Immanuel High School in Reedley where he and Barbara began their life-long relationship. Their relationship continued from there throughout their high school years until they were engaged in 1953 just before Bill entered Boot Camp at Fort Ord Army Base in Monterey County, California. Following Boot Camp he was stationed at the Army Base in Puson, Korea for 2 years before returning to marry his high school sweetheart Barbara Patzkowski in the Spring of 1955. Less than two years later their first son Keith Derek was born, followed by Bruce Rodney.

Bill attended Reedley College prior to his military service. Afterward he was employed with a farm equipment manufacturing business in the early years of their marriage. Later he worked for Fresno Distributing before starting his own businesses involving lawn and garden maintenance, landscape design and installation, as well as house painting.1 After encouraging him to apply for a job at Fresno Pacific College he was hired as the Head Groundskeeper in 1988 and remained employed there until he semi-retired. In the years following he continued working part-time there to help with sprinkler maintenance as needed before he retired for good.2 The faculty and staff always appreciated dad’s kindness, humor, and love for the Lord as well as the quality of his work. More than once they commented on how the campus had never looked better.

Retirement also gave Bill and Barbara some time to travel with family to Hawaii a couple of times and several road trips to other parts of the United States including Oregon to spend time with Bruce and Patt. At home mom and dad loved sitting on their back porch together every morning for coffee and some delicious baked snack of some kind prepared by Barbara. Then they would take some time to piddle around and tend to their lovely and well-manicured backyard.

Dad was bit of an artist too. He always had a good eye for landscape design and for trimming trees and shrubs. When he took the time, he loved to paint and draw on canvas or paper. We cherish the small collection of oil paintings, pastels, charcoals, and watercolors he created.3

Bill also loved to camp, fish, go on hikes and backpack trips in the mountains with his boys, family, and friends. Camping in Kings Canyon at General Grant and Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park were favorite spots. With immediate family and extended family, including our cousins and grandparents, these special occasions are some if not the most cherished memories we have with our family. Time together in the mountains also inspired a love for the Sierras and a passion to explore them throughout our lives.4

Bill and his wife Barbara remained faithful to each other and to the Lord Jesus Christ throughout their lives. They were long-time members and actively involved in the Butler Avenue Mennonite Brethren Church since 1955 shortly after they were married. They faithfully attended with their two sons and served in various capacities until the mid 1980’s when they joined Keith and Joan at a new church plant called Fig Garden Bible Church in Fresno.

In the early 90’s they returned again to the Butler Church where Keith initiated and led services for the college students he pastored at Fresno Pacific. Spiritually these were the richest and most meaningful years of Bill’s life. During this time he enjoyed a more experiential and personal relationship with Christ in a very special small group fellowship composed of young families, seminarians, and college students who gathered each week in homes for worship, prayer, and ministry. Many from among this group are now serving the Lord in various parts of the world.

Bill and Barbara also served with Keith and Joan on a missions outreach for college and high school students to a small community in Baja California, Mexico.

Here the group ministered and shared the message of Christ and His Kingdom among the poor. Bill and Barbara along with a several volunteers prepared and served all the meals to the 100-150 or more in attendance. They loved and were loved by so many who participated. Some continued to maintain their relationship with them in the years that followed. These special years allowed them to experience the real and ongoing presence and work of the Lord Jesus Christ as people’s lives were transformed, physical healings were evident, and many experienced freedom from various forms of bondage.

Along their journey they served in so many different ways to support Keith and Joan in their work with Kingdom Ministries. They cleaned and maintained the office, helped remodel and paint it, and took care of the grounds. If Bill wasn’t outside you could always find him in the kitchen!

Their home was not only a frequent hangout for our close friends during High School and college, it later became a peaceful refuge for those who needed a place to stay. Off and on through the years, they took in a number of people who lived with them awhile. Some they helped disciple in their faith and in the knowledge of the God’s Word. They cared for and housed some very broken people we simultaneously ministered to along the way. At least one or two of our ministry interns lived with them during their tenure at Kingdom Ministries where Keith and Joan continue to work.

They also had the opportunity to lead several of their long-time neighbors to faith in Christ as well.

Throughout our lives their home at 5078 E Hedges in Fresno was a frequent gathering place for our friends, family members, and those in our large tight-knit high school youth group. Both Dad and mom served as youth group sponsors during our high school years. In 2014 we held a 40-year reunion for this special group of friends who were more central to our lives during high school than the friends we had at our respective schools. Many including our former youth leaders and sponsors attended along with Bill and Barb to reconnect and recollect this special time in all of our lives.

When Bill turned 80 years of age we filled their home again with long-time friends and family to celebrate him on this milestone. Eventually and gradually Bill’s health began to decline sometime after this time. After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease he began treatment to alleviate the tremors often associated with this disease. With only mild and occasional tremors he seemed to be doing quite well. But the effects of the disease slowly took its toll on his mind resulting in a related dementia making it difficult, and later impossible, to communicate in complete sentences. All the while he still remembered many things and people’s names. He never forgot who his wife, kids, and grandkids were except on momentary occasions. He certainly never forgot when it was time to eat! And when he stopped eating we all knew it was serious!

Among those Bill leaves behind is his loving wife Barbara with whom he shared 68 wedding anniversaries and a wonderful yet simple life together. The two remained together at the Caring Heart Residential Care home in Clovis until Bill went to be with the Lord on the morning of January 21, 2023 at the age of 89, two months prior to his 90th birthday.

Among the living who remain are his two sons, Keith Martens of Fresno, California; and Bruce Martens of Madras, Oregon; his cherished daughters-in-law, Joan (Heinrichs) Martens, and Patricia (Heyerly) Martens; the two great joys of his life—grandchildren Lindsey (Martens) Charest of San Diego, California, and Landon Martens, of San Diego, California; and two great-grandchildren—Rosie and Tommy Charest who each inspired spontaneous moments of joy and laughter during the last part of his life. He loved and is loved by his nieces and nephews on both sides of the family tree. Nephew Steve Marten of Clovis, was frequent and loved enough to be a 3rd son; and Lisa (now deceased) and her sister Renee Patzkowski of Pennsylvania spent much of their childhood years with dad and mom as did their own grandchildren Lindsey and Landon.

Bill is also survived by his youngest brother, Harold Martens and his wife Linda of Fowler. He is pre-deceased by his Father William and his mother Goldie; his brothers—Paul, Richard, John, and Wesley. He also leaves behind his sister-in-law, Laura Wiens of Kingsburg, California, Mary Vogt of Lake Oswego, Oregon; and Mel Patzkowski of Pennsylvania.

Our family is deeply grateful to the compassionate care of all the wonderful ladies at the Caring Heart Residential home where both Bill and Barbara lived and were cared for their last years together and where Barbara continues to live.

A Celebration of Life Service for Bill Martens, Jr. will be held on January 24th, 2023 at the G.L. Johnson Chapel on the campus of Peoples Church at 7172 N. Cedar Avenue, Fresno, California

at 11:00AM with a reception to follow. A Graveside Service for family and friends will be held at 9:00AM at the Reedley Cemetery at 2185 South Reed Avenue, Reedley, California.

Please send remembrances or contributions in lieu of flowers to Kingdom Ministries at 245 W. Shaw Avenue, Fresno, CA 93704. For information go to www.kingdomtools.org