Minor D. Martin

While growing up in Palestine, Minor was a very active young man. He bicycled long distances all over Texas, played clarinet and saxophone in the High School Band, learning to play the piano, and was an amateur roller skating champion of the area. He even delivered newspapers locally on bike or foot and later when he could fly a plane delivered papers to outlying areas by dropping them out of the plane.

Minor completed the Eleventh grade (the maximum at that time) and after graduation was drafted into the Army where he served in England, France, Holland, and Germany. He served in the laundry units where they did the linens for the front lines field hospitals, and shower units for the troops that came through. After recovering from an injury in Europe while waiting to be reassigned the war ended, and upon formal discharge he worked for Missouri Pacific Railroad and a short time for Dow Chemical. What started as a favor turned into a relocation. Minor flew Reverend Wilbur Craig’s plane up to Alaska while the Craig family drove up there. He decided to stay and served with the “Northern Gospel Crusaders” serving as a pilot, accordion player, song leader, delivery person or whatever needed to be done.

Minor began taking pictures as a young adult with a small box camera. He was gifted as a photographer and went onto do more and more, including photograph weddings, community events, church and district events. He even provided photos that made it onto documents, brochures and booklets for the Department of the Interior. Over the years, if he wasn’t behind the camera at weddings and special events he could usually be found at the organ where he provided beautiful music and accompaniments for all sorts of events and services. Minor had a long love of music, reaching back to his early bachelor years where he sang in several gospel quartets; one even had a regular radio show. His wife shared his love of music and they taught their kids to enjoy and learn to play instruments as well.

While living in Alaska, Minor met and married Susie Martin. In the course of their 52 years together they moved a number of times and raised three children, Leslie, Charlotte, and Martha. Before leaving Alaska he had many new experiences such as repairing a car in the snow, learning to ski, skate, and snowmobile which was necessary with his job sending him out to visit distant homesteads and other sites. He also hunted and bagged his first Moose, learning to butcher and haul the meat home for the freezer. Alaska became a state while Minor lived there and also provided him with the experience of a major earthquake which resulted in some of his most incredible photos.

In 1964, Minor was transferred to Boise, Idaho where he worked with Farm entries on Federal land as well as began fighting forest fires. He continued fighting fires for many years, all over the west coast and Alaska.

After a transfer to Phoenix, Arizona, he worked with Dessert entries and right-of-way Federal land. Yet another transfer found him moving the family to Parker, Arizona, where he covered Recreational sites Federal land from the Mexican border to Bullhead City, Nevada. While no longer allowed to fight Forest fires he entered a new phase of adventure and worked with the US Marshalls in removing squatters off of Federal land. He photographed desert car races and boat races on the Colorado River. During this time he worked with Smokey the Bear doing community involvement and awareness.

One more transfer occurred and the family next moved to Portland, Oregon where Minor worked as a Judicator and settled land laws, right-of-ways questions, and the like. Throughout all the places they lived Minor was continually involved in their local Church, at times acting as Superintendant, organist, and photographer. He would setup and run audio equipment and often provide any and everything needed in a pioneer church.

Not content to just be a pilot himself, he also taught others to fly. Always one to try new things, Minor restored an old tractor (later upgrading to his prized John Deere), and began a mowing service. He supplemented his income by mowing greenways and plowing fields. Even after retiring from BLM he continued his mowing business until just a few years ago.

Even as Minor aged he continued using his musical and photographic skills till the very end. Minor lived a full life and was loved and respected by so many people, most becoming lifelong friends. Minor will be missed.