Edison E. Martin, age 80, of Jamestown, ND, passed away on September 19, 2020, at Sanford Hospital in Fargo, ND with his sons by his side.
Edison “Ed” Eugene Martin was born in Miles City, MT on February 17, 1940, the middle child of Ella (Guenther) and Robert Martin II. He grew up with his older brother, Robert “Bud”, and younger sister, Lianne. The family lived by the Powder River before moving to Terry, MT. In his youth, he enjoyed searching for dinosaur bones and agates, fishing and hunting.
Known by his friends as “Eddie”, he joined various academic clubs and excelled at many sports in high school including track, football, basketball and baseball. He held state track records for hurdles and javelin and was a fierce competitor and skilled pitcher. He received the Babe Ruth Award. He graduated from Terry High School in 1958.
After high school, Ed attended Montana State University in Bozeman, MT and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1963. He was the crew boss fighting forest fires in Lewistown, MT for three years to pay his way through college. He earned his pilot’s license and enjoyed flying his Piper Cub airplane. He had many great stories about his flying adventures and near-death experiences.
Ed’s life was full of many job offers and opportunities. He had a keen sense of understanding of finances and the business world and enjoyed working and meeting people, always willing to take on the next challenge. Upon graduating from college, Ed spent time as a county agent at Fort Benton, MT before working as an assistant manager for the Federal Land Bank in Sidney, MT from 1964 to 1968. He, then, worked for the United States Department of Commerce in Poplar, MT until 1970. In 1971, he married and later had two sons, Clinton Elliott Martin and Burton Edison Martin. Thereafter, he became a loan officer and insurance agent for Garrison State Bank in Garrison, ND for three years before transferring to Peoples State Bank in Westhope, ND where he served as Vice President from 1975 to 1986. During this same time, he owned and operated a grain farm by Maxbass, ND. Ed, then, worked alongside his father and brother at his father’s federal crop insurance agency in Wolf Point, MT from 1986 to 1990. He lived in Glendive, MT from 1988 to 1990. He spent a year working in Okanogan, WA for the Farm Credit Bureau and one year as an assistant county supervisor for Farmer’s Home Administration in Linton, ND. He ultimately moved the family to Valley City, ND where he owned and operated a motel from 1992 until his retirement in 2003. In 2003 he moved to Jamestown, ND where he lived until his death.
Ed was a member of the Masons. He enjoyed buying and selling stocks and staying active, going for long walks, oftentimes many miles a day. He loved visiting with his friends over a cup of coffee and sharing detailed stories of his past experiences and memories. He had a knack for creating vivid images for his listeners, because of his great memory for detail and people’s names. He never met a stranger, striking up conversation with all whom he met. Ed was hard-working, honest and extremely humble but, above all, he was a proud grandfather with a generous heart.
Left to mourn his passing are his sons, Clint Martin and Burt (Laura) Martin, four grandchildren, Shane, Briella, Adelyn and Leigha Martin, all of Jamestown, ND; his sister, Lianne (Wayne) Swigart, Billings, MT; and nieces and nephews, Scott, Lonnie, Sterling, Chantel, Sonja and Lucy. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Robert Martin III.
Visitation will be held on Friday, October 2, 2020 at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Terry, MT with family receiving friends from 4:00-6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Terry, MT. Interment will follow in the Prairie County Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting: www.stevensonandsons.com.