Cordell Martin

Cordell Martin age 79 of Nashua, IA, died Friday, October 23, 2020, at his home. Friends may greet the family from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 27, 2020, at Hugeback Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory - Olson Chapel in Nashua. A private family burial will take place at a later date. Cordell was born on Jan. 24, 1941, in Charles City to Henry and Violet (Bouillon) Martin, and he grew up on acreage in between Nashua and Charles City with his two sisters and one brother. He attended country school through the eighth grade and then attended Nashua High School. He met Shirley Hansen in high school, and the two were married on Oct. 5, 1958, at the Nashua Methodist Church. Cordell worked several jobs before settling in at Terex in Waverly, where he worked for 33 years before retiring in 2002. The couple had four children — Rod, Penny, Shelly and Marie — and whenever he could, he loved to spend time with them, but he also taught his kids the value of hard work and the importance of making sure your family’s needs were met. Cordell was a volunteer member of the Nashua Fire Department, belonged to Nashua’s Boat Club at one time and loved the outdoors. He was an avid hunter, and he and his buddies took an annual trip to Wyoming that he looked forward to every year. He and Shirley had eight grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, and let’s just say this, “Grandpa Cordell” adored all of them. He loved playing and joking with them, and it was always a good day when any of his grandchildren or “greats” came to visit him. And every time they came to his house, Cordell always gave the grandkids $2. It was a tradition that he kept even as they got older. Unfortunately, Cordell’s health began to fail soon after he retired from Terex, but he fought a variety of ailments without losing his good humor. For the past 10 years, Shirley drove him to Waverly three times a week for dialysis, and the couple that married young celebrated their 62nd anniversary earlier this month. Losing a husband, a father, grandfather, great-grandfather or a buddy is never easy, but those who knew and loved Cordell are thankful that today he is at peace and probably doing a little hunting. Cordell is survived by his wife, Shirley, of Nashua; three children, Rod (Teresa) Martin of Ashton, Penny (Rick) Kruse of Cedar Falls, and Shelly (Steve) Maurer of Sebring, Florida; eight grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Karen (Roger) Jacobson, of Omaha, Nebraska, and Ellen (Joel) Putney of Garner. He was preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Marie; and his brother, Gerry.