Richard Dale Martin II

Richard Dale Martin II, loving son, brother, husband, father, uncle, cousin, and friend, passed away peacefully on December 12, 2019. Thank you to his family, caregivers at Park Ave, and Vitas Hospice personnel who cared for him!

Richard (Rick) was born on August, 12, 1957 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Zanesville, OH. His parents were Mary Jo Henry Martin and the late Richard Dale Martin. He was baptized on May 11, 1958 at the Dresden Methodist Church and attended Sunday school there. They lived in Dresden and Columbus until moving to Marysville when Rick was 3. His brother and sisters were Randy, Tina, and Tracy. He graduated from Marysville High School in 1975. He went to Kent State University, majored in art, and was on the golf team. After attending Campus Crusade for Christ, he renewed his faith and transferred to Anderson University, a Christian liberal arts college. In a short amount of time, he majored in Psychology, minored in Religion, and graduated in 1979. Then Rick felt called to attend Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, CA. He met his future wife, Carroll Vesely, at Christian Education events and Sunday night fellowship. He received his Masters of Divinity and got married the same weekend on June 18, 1983. Rick continued training to become a chaplain. They bought a home in West Covina, CA and had 2 daughters, Emily and Paula. Richard was a chaplain at St Joseph’s Hospital in Orange for a few years but decided to change careers. He stayed home and took care of the girls. He took them to the bus, helped them with their homework, played soccer, and taught them golf. They started to regularly attend Walnut UMC in 1995 when the girls were 4 and 5 years old. He was always devoted, caring, loving to his family. They went to Ohio to visit his family often and took a vacation to Grand Canyon. Thankfully the Martins and the Veselys together became one family.

Around the year 2002, he started to notice health issues such as extra movements and anxiety. Soon afterwards, he was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, the same illness as his Dad and sister, Tracy. Huntington’s disease is a very slow progressing neurological disease. In 2010, it was decided that he would best be cared for at the nursing home, Park Ave in Pomona. Thank you to the Staff, L VN’s, CNA’s, Activities, and Physical Therapy personnel who cared for him and made his life better. Carroll, his wife, visited almost every day, reading devotionals, sharing about family, watching golf, talking, and praying together. Thankfully Rick always remembered his family. We appreciated his family coming every year to celebrate his birthday. He always brightened up when his Ohio family phoned.

Richard was survived by his wife, Carroll, daughters, Emily and Paula; Randall (Barbara) Martin and their children; Tasha (Phil) and son, Riker, Erica, and Nathan; Tina Martin Knox and her daughter, Jerushia and daughter, Mackenzie; and her son, Jeremiah (Sarah) and their sons, Zachary and Isaiah. His father, Richard Martin and his sister, Tracy, passed away before Rick did. He will be missed greatly, but we’re thankful that he is at peace and he is with the Lord.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Huntington Disease Society of America (HDSA.org)