Robert L. “Bob” Martin, 83, of Burlington, died Friday, April 7, 2023, at the Klein Center in West Burlington.
Born Jan. 16, 1940, in Burlington, he was the son of Farrell and Dorothy Carlson Martin.
He graduated from Burlington High School (Class of 1958) and Parsons College, where he was an outstanding four-sport high school athlete and a standout college football player.
He married Connie E. Raid on Jan. 30, 1961. She died July 21, 2022.
After college Bob worked as a teacher and track and football coach for Wapello High School for two years. He then began his career with Proctor and Gamble where he worked for 35 years. After retirement, Bob returned to teaching at Wapello High School and was also an assistant girls' basketball coach. In addition, he coached high school volleyball and middle school softball for West Burlington.
Bob loved coaching little league baseball and softball and the Iowa Games volleyball teams. He loved all sports and especially enjoyed watching his daughter’s and granddaughters’ high school and college softball careers and his grandson’s trap shooting competitions.
He enjoyed fishing and taking annual trips to Minnesota and Canada with family, hunting, spending time on the family farms, his various coffee groups, wintering in Florida, and golfing with his friends. He loved dogs, especially golden retrievers, and was fondly known as a “dog whisperer”.
He is survived by his three children, Cherie (Hal) Reid of Burlington, Steve (Teresa) Martin of Shell Rock, and Tricia (Randy) Bolton of Osceola; four grandchildren, Stacy Martin, Karly Stoffregen, Christopher Martin, and Emma Bolton; three great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Connie, brother Leroy Martin, granddaughter Ally Bolton and grandson Kaleb Lehman.
The memorial funeral service for Mr. Martin will be 11 a.m. Saturday, April 15 at Lunning Chapel. The family will receive friends from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service. The Rev. Dean Graber will officiate. Inurnment will be held in Aspen Grove Cemetery.
Memorials have been established for Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice and The Rally for Reid Foundation.
Cremation has been accorded and entrusted to the care of Lunning Chapel.