James E

Born 1919 Died July 13, 1996 Age 77

James Martin's parents were Ora D. (Likins) and James E. Martin

During the photo session both parents wanted to hold the baby. There was a disagreement and the baby was laid on both of the parent’s laps. I don’t think I have ever seen a family portrait like this one.

Four years after James Martin was born Ora Dee had another son, he was named William Neal Martin. No frills photo session, it’s always that way with the second child. See: William Neal Martin

Mr. And Mrs. Martin separated when the children were small. James Martin’s father died

in late 20’s early 30’s from a blocked prostate. Ora Dee Martin dated but never wanted to remarry. She was a free spirit. She lived a long and happy life until her death in 1996 caused by heart failure from having strokes.

The Martin boys lived at 3669 5^th Ave. San Diego California over their mother’s beauty shop during most of their childhood. When the Depression started James and William took after school jobs to help out and earn spending money. James delivered newspapers

and William worked in a small family owned grocery store where there was plenty of food. James burned calories while William consumed calories. Guess who got the better deal?

James Martin graduated from San Diego High in 1936 and William in 1940. (Note: San Diego High a beautiful two story stone building was condemned and torn down in the late 1970’s.)

After high school James Martin worked for a couple of years then he decided to attend college.

His education was interrupted on December 7, 1941 when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. The following day President Franklin Roosevelt addressed a joint session of Congress and asked for a declaration of war against Japan. Months later “The Great Depression” ended.

The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 allowed for rapid expansion of armed forces and by the end of World War II 66 percent of the total strength of the armed forces were draftees. James and William enlisted so they could choose the branch of the service they liked best.

James Martin was wounded once during the war and like so many others who were wounded received the Purple Heart. He told his children that he had malaria, elephantiasis, and other diseases while overseas and yet he survived. He walked away from the World War II with nothing more then a slight limp.

When the war ended James Martin went back to college to finish his education. During that time his mother introduced him to Muriel A. Bolman at her beauty shop. James and Muriel dated, fell in love and married sometime in 1947 in San Diego California. Then the children started arriving almost yearly. James took a second job and quit college for the second time. His children names and birth years: James E. 1948, Karien N. 1949, Alfred K. 1951, Cynthia E. 1952, Douglas S. 1956, and Wendy M. 1958.

James Martin retired in1964 after serving 23 years in the military he was a Staff Sergeant. In civilian life he worked as a door-to-door salesman for the Fuller Brush Company. He stayed with Fuller Brush until they went out of business. He retired again but soon became restless so he got a part-time work as a security guard.

James and Muriel Martin divorced in 1973 after 26 years of marriage. James moved to San Jose California where he met his second wife Burma. They married and lived happily until his death in 1996. He died after a partial amputation of his leg from a stroke then heart failure.

· America’s “The Great Depression” 1929-1940 at it’s peak 1/3 of the work force was out of work and reliant on charity for food.

Permanent press the latest developments in creased-resistant finishes in clothing. 1987

The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 required that all packages include a label, headed “Nutrition Facts.”

James Martin loved to talk and tell stories some true others extremely questionable. When I was a child he told me he delivered papers on an old bike that had no brakes I have since learn that this was true. The bikes at that time had brakes but they were not the best they wore out quickly. The rich could afford to have the brakes fixed, the poor used their feet or hit things to stop. My father said he crashed and burned often.

The Martin children listened to our father's stories in total fascination. (Back then we only got three TV channels and when nothing was on we listened to dad.) Our dad loved to pull the wool over people’s eyes. He also loved getting caught in a “white lie”. Confutation was his favorite pastimes. I can see him now sitting in his yellow recliner, holding his stomach and laughing until tears rolled down his cheeks when confronted. Was dad a survivor of the Great Death March? Did he collect hundreds of dog tags to give to his commanding officer? We don’t know but what we do know is that his stories were fun to listen to especially if Ed Sullivan was on.

Another story: James Martin’s father’s real last name was thought to have been Martz. It is said that his father changed the name from Martz to Martin supposedly because of discrimination toward Germans after World War I.

At the time of James Martin Sr. death he had six children and eight grandchildren. His brother, William Martin died six months after he died from a rare blood cancer. William Martin married five times--had two children with his first wife. William’s children’s names are: William and Kathy.

James Martin was born in the age of radio and died in an age of space explorations.

I will always remember dad sitting, sleeping, and laughing in his yellow recliner.

I will never forget how my dad embarrassed his family at a gas station when he yelled out of the car window ...hay bub come over here! To a police officer!