Clarence was first united in marriage on December 18, 1941, at St. Louis to the former Miss Grace Evadeen Bassett, and to this union three children were born. Clarence and Grace celebrated 50 years of marriage on December 18, 1991, with a celebration held at First Baptist Church, Dixon. Grace preceded him in death on April 9, 1992. He was later married to Erma Collier Bassett, who survives. In addition to his first wife, he was preceded in death by his father on March 25, 1936; his mother on February 12, 1964; seven brothers, Fred Allen Martin on March 24, 1968; Elbert Chesley Martin on September 5, 1980; Samuel Everett Martin on November 11, 1969; George Washington Martin on March 20, 1990; James Virgil Martin on October 27, 1987; Charles Clinton Martin on August 15, 1980; and Raymond Woodrow Martin on October 28, 1972; and two sisters, Jessie Aline Martin on June 24, 1901; and Mary Martin on June 22, 1918.
Clarence accepted Christ during a revival service at First Baptist Church, Dixon with Dr. Vine as the evangelist. He was baptized on October 22, 1939, by the Rev. Edwin E. Baur in the Maries Creek on the George W. Martin farm near Dixon. Clarence was an active member of the First Baptist Church, Dixon for many years and at the time of his passing was a member of the First Baptist Church, Vienna. He was a United States Army World War II Veteran, a member of the Liesmann-Roberts American Legion Post No. 298, Dixon for over 60 years, and had served a total of 18 years on the Santee and Dixon School Boards. He was elected to the Santee School Board in 1952 for a three-year term. It was during this term the Santee was consolidated into the Dixon school system. Clarence retired from the Dixon School Board in 1971 after serving five three-year terms.
Clarence and Grace lived in Wellston, Missouri, until he was drafted into the Army on September 18, 1942. He served his basic training at Camp Bowie in Brownwood, Texas. He also trained at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, at Camp Howze in Gainsville, Texas; and at Kilmer, New Jersey. He shipped overseas on the Uruguay from New York Harbor on August 11, 1944. Clarence served in Service Battery 692nd Field Artillery Battalion and was a part of the 54 Section which hauled supplies. He drove a truck in France, Germany and Belgium. Clarence was in Europe for ten months before he was hospitalized with surgery and was transferred back to the United States. Private First Class Martin was honorably discharged from Shick General Hospital near Clinton, Iowa on August 10, 1945. He was entitled to wear the European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with two Bronze Stars.
Clarence and Grace returned to St. Louis to live where he was employed by Wagner Electric for a short time. On October 22, 1945, he began his career with Civil Service at Fort Leonard Wood driving a truck out of the post motor pool. Clarence also got living quarters in family housing, and he and Grace moved to 4C
Waynesville Street.
They lived there for about ten months until the Army decided to tear down the temporary housing. He and Grace moved into the permanent housing section at 41C
Rolla Street.
In April of 1946, they purchased their house and acreage on Highway 133 north of Dixon in Maries County and lived at Fort Leonard Wood during the week and at the farm on the weekends. This continued until January of 1947 when Clarence was furloughed from Fort Leonard Wood. He went back to St. Louis and was employed by Sherman Construction as a truck driver for a brief time. During May and June of 1947, Clarence painted houses around Dixon until he was called back to Fort Leonard Wood in July of 1947.
Returning to Fort Leonard Wood after his furlough, Clarence drove a truck for the warehouse out of the post motor pool. In December of 1948, he was transferred to the Post Engineers Carpenter Shop as a “loaner” to build targets for ranges. He worked there for two weeks when the foreman, Jess Woods, requested that he be transferred permanently. Clarence worked there until his retirement on December 31, 1976, just two days after his 55th birthday. He finished with 32 years in Civil Service and 3 years in the Army for a total of 35 years service.
Clarence is further survived by: three children, Dennis Ralph and wife, Joann (Fantauzzi) Martin, parents of Dr. Deanna Marie (Martin) and husband, Dr. Jeremiah E. Freedman, parents of Isaac Freedman; and Christopher Ralph Martin Esq. and wife, Terri (Emmerich) Martin, parents of Abigail and Loralei Martin; David Howard and Gloria (Dake) Martin, parents of David H. Martin, Jr., father of Grace Martin and Meredith Loraine (Martin) and husband, Leo H. Kloeppel, parents of Landon and Ava Kloeppel; and Lucinda “Cindy” Elaine (Martin) and husband, Donnie Curty, parents of Jason Edward Curty and Leann Amanda Curty, and many other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were conducted for Clarence at 10:00 A.M. Tuesday, November 24, 2009, in the First Baptist Church, Dixon, with Rev. Richard D. Spacek, his pastor, First Baptist Church, Vienna, officiating. The Rowden Family sang “I’ll Meet you in the Morning”, “Sheltered in the Arms of God”, and “BeulahLand” and Betty Doyle, organist, provided appropriate selections for the prelude and postlude of the service.
Interment with full military honors provided by members (Bill Robbins, Basil Rushing, Ben Hammock, Rodney Yoakum, David Martin, and Bob Leonard) of the Liesmann-Roberts American Legion Post No. 298, Dixon, was in the Dixon Cemetery under the direction of the Dixon Chapel of the Birmingham-Martin Funeral Homes. Active pallbearers were David H. Martin, Jr., Christopher R. Martin, Jason E. Curty, Leo H. Kloeppel, Martin Crider, David Bexten, Roy Plassmeyer, and Larry Kampeter. Honorary pallbearers were Dr. Jeremiah E. Freedman, Louis A. Martin, Edward Martin, Morris Martin, Norman Martin, Stanley Martin, Carl Martin, Ronald D. Martin, Douglas Martin, Morris “Lefty” Martin, Catherine Barnhart Hutchison, Charles Bassett, Grover Johnson, Clay Vogt, William B. Harrison, Walter Dickens, Paul Beydler, Leo Kleffner, Kenneth Forrest, and Roger Rose.
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