Gerry Martin Sr.

Gerry Lee Martin Sr., age 73 of Nashua died Wednesday, January 18, 2012, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, MN. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Monday, January 23, 2012, at the Hugeback & Chenoweth Funeral Home in Nashua. Interment will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Nashua with Brandon Gronwoldt, Adrian Martin, Rodney Martin, Mike Dreckman, Brad Lechtenberg, Bobby Harrington Jr. serving as pallbearers. Friends may greet the family 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. Sunday, January 22, 2012, at the Hugeback & Chenoweth Funeral Home in Nashua. Visitation continues an hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Gerry Lee Martin Sr. was born May 21, 1938, in Charles City, IA, the son of Henry and Violet (Bouillon) Martin. He received his G.E.D. certificate through the U.S. Army Reserves. He then attended business college in Mason City and received a certificate in computer technology. In 1955, he married Shirley Nettie Blum. To this union six children were born. The couple later divorced. Gerry began working for John Deere in Waterloo until being injured. Following John Deere he received his truck driving certificate through Warren Transport and began his truck driving career that lasted over 25 years. In his early days Gerry enjoyed fishing, hunting, bowling. Later in his life he had a passion for going to casinos with his mother, Violet. He loved to hang out at the Bradford House in Nashua to play the cherry machines and also playing the machines in Ionia. If he didn't want to travel too far, he would just walk over to the tavern in Nashua and play the machine there. Gerry liked to talk about his trucking adventures with his children and anyone who would listen. He will be remembered for enjoying the simple things in life, especially playing cribbage and euchre with his friends and family. Gerry is survived by his one daughter, Brenda (James) Gronwoldt of LeRoy, MN; three sons, Gerry Lee Martin Jr. of Waucoma, Keith Allen (Kathy) Martin of Bassett and Marty Mark Martin of LeRoy, MN; ten grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; one brother, Cordell (Shirley) Martin of Nashua; two sisters, Karen (Roger) Jacobson of Omaha, NE and Ellen (Joe) Putney of Garner, IA; ex-wife, Shirley Martin Benson of Nashua. He was preceded in death by his parents; two sons, Roy Edward Laverne Martin in infancy and Jeffrey Lynn Martin at the age of 26.