John Walter Martin

John Walter Martin, age 74, passed away peacefully on March 13, 2025, in Dayton, Ohio with his family by his side after a sudden brain hemorrhage. He was born on May 28, 1950, in Dayton, Ohio, and grew up in Middletown, Ohio where his father worked for Armco. John enjoyed an idyllic childhood like something out of his favorite TV shows, Leave it to Beaver and The Andy Griffith Show, and remained lifelong friends with many of his classmates.

While still in high school he displayed remarkable artistic talent in drawing and painting. He attended the Dayton Art Institute (DAI) where he studied photography and met his future wife, Julie O’Brien. They loved each other deeply and had so much humor and chemistry together. They affectionately called each other “Dear” so much that some friends and family even got into the habit of calling John “Dear” as well.

While still at DAI, John interned as a photographer for the Inland Division of General Motors, which developed into a 31-year career with GM as an engineering photographer. He played a key role in documenting the invention, development and testing of the first steering wheel airbag in the country. In 1983 he was transferred to the GM Tech Center and relocated his family to Birmingham, MI. John helped transform the photo departments in both Dayton and Detroit to a higher technological level, moving them from analog to digital.

Working for GM fit perfectly with John's love of cars. While still living in Ohio he purchased a 1970 Mulsanne Blue 1970 Corvette convertible that he kept throughout his entire life and that he might have photographed as much as his own children (whom he photographed A LOT). He also became a fervent believer in electric cars and loved to tell people how many miles he traveled without gas.

John had such a great sense of humor and was so gregarious and loved to tell stories. He could make people laugh just from his facial expressions. He could make friends with anyone, whether rich or poor, and often kept in touch with them for decades.

John he also ran his own wedding and portrait photography business. Throughout his life he photographed hundreds of weddings and donated his skills to many friends, organizations and charities. He shared his gift with anyone who needed his expertise and rarely asked for compensation.

John also had a special love for history and donated his time and photographic talents to the Miamisburg Historical Society, organizing a photo shoot for veterans and their families as well as helping to photograph and digitize many artifacts. He was proud of his direct connections to the founding families of Miamisburg. His family was so blessed to have him photograph his daughter's wedding at their ancestor's Gebhart Tavern, built in 1811, the last wedding he would ever shoot.

He took his family on many road trips across the US, sharing his love of history, art, and culture. Even when they were little, his children would spend many hours conversing with their parents and grandparents about history, politics, art, religion, mythology, cars, video games, just about any topic under the sun. The family would often have dinner together while watching the evening news, discussing current events. They always included their children in their conversations as if they were adults, often sprinkled with humor. John and Julie had an insatiable curiosity, always wanting to learn new things and excited to tell others what they learned. The family traveled to almost every state in the US, visiting historical sites, museums, art galleries, national parks, and quirky roadside places.

In the 1990s John purchased a houseboat on Lake Cumberland, KY where family and friends gathered countless times for jet ski rides, barbecues, and tranquil hours in nature, often driving as far away as Michigan to come down to the boat.

He was proud to serve as the official portrait photographer for the Engineering and Science Hall of Fame since its inception, an event held at the historic Engineers Club of Dayton. Whether he was shooting a historic figure, a wedding or his classmates, he admired each one, cared for each one, and captured the essence of the moment as only he could do. He was a gifted man.

John always loved animals and had many dog and cat companions throughout his entire life. He would always stop to tend to wounded or abandoned animals he found during his travels, stopping once to relocate a box turtle stuck in the middle of a busy road.

After retiring from GM, he moved to scenic Corryton, TN with his wife and made many more new friends in East Tennessee, especially in Tazewell, where his friends became like an extended family. They enjoyed countless hours talking and joking around at local restaurants or hiking a few times a week on House Mountain. Even while in retirement he would often offer his photography skills free of charge to new friends he met and for community organizations and events like parades and Christmas parties.

John has left behind hundreds of friends and family who loved him dearly and who cannot imagine this world without him in it. One friend wrote, “A very special light has gone out in this world and the brightness along with it. My heart too is just so broken from such an unexpected loss.” Recently he met Arlene Presley who became his special companion, enjoying trips together throughout Tennessee.

John was preceded in death by his wife, Julie, and his parents, Lawrence and Bernice Martin. He is survived by his children, Susan (Kenneth) Johnson and John (Amber) Martin; his brother, Dr. Donald Martin; nephew, Donald Martin; and brother-in-law, Barry O'Brien.

Masonic services will begin promptly at 1 PM on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at the Miamisburg Masonic Temple, 116 S. Second St., Miamisburg. Immediately following will be a formal time of sharing. (Doors will open at 12:30 to give everyone time to settle in before services begin.)

A Celebration of Life gathering will begin at approximately 1:30 PM and conclude at 4 pm. Services are entrusted to GEBHART-SCHMIDT-PARRAMORE Funeral Home, Miamisburg.

The family would like for friends to share photos with them to be included in a video tribute for John. All photos can be emailed to [email protected] and are due in by Tuesday, April 1st.

A livestream of the Masonic services and time of sharing will be available on the funeral home website.