From the Corvallis Gazette Times

James Henry Martin

Posted April 20, 2007, 12:00 a.m.

Feb. 19, 1920 - April 11, 2007

James Henry Martin was born in Cuiaba, Brazil, on Feb. 19, 1920. His parents, Nettie Moser Martin and Adam Martin, were Presbyterian missionaries in what was then the remote Brazilian state of Mato Grosso.

Jim, his brother Paul, and sisters Betty and Jean, grew up at the mission in Burity. Jim was home schooled for his early learning but went to live with relatives in Ohio for his high school and college education, up to the beginning of World War II.

During WWII Jim was in the Air Force and flew as a ball turret gunner in a B-17. Jim deeply respected his brother Paul's decision to be a conscientious objector and visited him at the CO camp. Stationed in southern Italy, Jim flew missions over Europe. His plane was shot down over Yugoslavia and partisans guided the surviving crew to safety. Reported missing in action, Jim's family was relieved to learn of his return.

The experience of war turned Jim into a lifelong pacifist. The end of the war brought new opportunities and Jim followed his interests in the outdoors and geology to pursue gold in Alaska. Jim got as far as Bonanza, Ore., where he sought out a friend from the Air Force. Attending a local dance he met Ruth Brown. Jim never made it to Alaska, apparently he found all the gold he needed in Ruth as they were soon married.

Jim fell in love with Oregon as well as Ruthie. Two children followed, Dan (1950) and Debby (1951), who would grow up with a remarkable large group of cousins, aunts and uncles often drawn together for reunions, camping and fishing trips.

Jim graduated from the University of Oregon and pursued a career as a high school history teacher eventually landing in Corvallis in 1960, where he taught at Corvallis High School for over 20 years. Jim's success as an U.S. history teacher is recalled by his colleagues and students, particularly those students that went on to become historians in their own right. In the late 1960s Ruth pursued a career in elementary education; she and Jim both attracted a large circle of colleagues for whom they were both mentors and friends. The children were never far away as Dan settled in Portland and Debby in Eugene.

Jim was a gentle and loving grandfather to Dan's son, Zeke, who remembers good times toddling after granpa in the extensive garden with raised beds that replaced the grass yard after Jim retired.

After the death of his beloved Ruthie in 2002, Jim moved to Eugene to be nearer to daughter Debby. While there he made new friends at the Laurel Pines and SweetBriar Villa assisted living communities, and continued a life long interest in good conversation and political letters to the editor of the local paper.

Outside of family and teaching Jim enjoyed a passion for river drifting and fishing, especially the wily and elusive Oregon coastal steelhead but also trout and salmon, crayfish, dungeness crabs, mussels and clams. Surely they are the only ones rejoicing in his death on April 11, 2007. For the rest of us, please join in a celebration of the life of James Henry Martin at the Carriage House of the Benton County Fairgrounds, Corvallis, on April 28 from 1 to 4 p.m.

Comment from Rose Merrick

I must say, Mr. Martin was one of my faves.