1917
Clayton
2010
Clayton "Dick" St. Martin
August 22, 1917 — September 1, 2010
Munising
Clayton R. "Dick" St. Martin, age 93, of Munising died Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at his home. He was born on August 22, 1917, the first baby born on St. Martin's Hill, the tenth of fourteen children to the late Mitchell and Louise (nee Dore) St. Martin. Dick attended kindergarten at Lincoln School the first year that it was open. He was a lifelong resident of Munising, with a forty-five year hiatus in Seney, MI, as a Standard Oil Agent.
Dick met the love of his life Myrtle Rappert while they were both working at Munising Woodenware. They were married on November 26, 1938. He served in the U.S. Armed Forces during WWII in the Rhineland Campaign. Dick was wounded in a battle where thirty-five soldiers went up a hill and only two returned for which he was awarded the Purple Heart.
After returning from Europe, Dick and Myrtle operated a neighborhood grocery store on West Superior Street for ten years. He also worked part time for Bancroft Dairy then Standard Oil.
His experience as a driver for Standard Oil opened the door for his move to Seney as a Standard Oil Agent. While in Seney, Dick became involved in township politics, The Seney Wildlife Refuge, and the community as a whole. He was the township supervisor for thirty-five years. He was the main instrument in starting the Visitors Center through volunteer program at the refuge, and establishing the Seney Museum in the old Railroad Depot. Dick was also a huge part of getting the grants to fund the fire hall and fire engine, the snowmobile groomers, and the Seney ice rink and pavilion. Not only did he help get these things started, he continued to volunteer at the refuge and drive the groomers late into the winter nights. Dick was a member of the Lions Club, and was a Past Post Commander of American Legion Post 131, and a Fourth Degree Knight in the Knights of Columbus. He was a faithful member of Sacred Heart Church in Munising and St. Therese in Germfask, where he served as a lector and usher. Dick enjoyed playing cards, hunting, fishing, and he loved Munising and its beautiful bay. He was able to take many hunting and fishing trips throughout North America, even going on a moose hunt in Canada after his 85th birthday. Dick never knew a stranger, everyone he met became a friend, and he would tell anyone who would listen a story, most of which had a good life lesson to go along with it.
Dick is survived by his wife of nearly seventy-two years - Myrtle of Munising; son - Ron (Mary) St. Martin of Vienna, VA; two daughters - Rose (Roy Robinson) St. Martin of Trenary, and Cheryl (John Foster) St. Martin of Rumley; grandchildren - Jenny St. Martin, Robert (Laura) Hendrickson, Jason (Tammy) Hendrickson, Teresa (Dennis) Pitt, Christina (Hunter Westra) Saint Martin, and Sgt. Kathryn Stephens U.S. Army; great-grandchildren - Aaron, Ryan, Sierra, Caitlyn, and Austin; sister - Dorothy (Jim) Oas; two sisters-in-law; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents - Mitchell and Louise; daughter- Louise St. Martin; grandson - Clayton St. Martin; and twelve brothers and sisters.
Dick's visitation will be on Sunday, September 5, 2010 from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. with a Parish Vigil Service beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Bowerman Funeral Home in Munising. Fr. Chris Gardner will celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial on Monday, September 6, at the Sacred Heart Church at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at Maple Grove Cemetery where the Alger County Veterans Council and American Legion Honor Guard will conduct military honors. Memorials may be made in Dick's name to the American Legion Scholarship fund.
Clayton R. "Dick" St. Martin, age 93, of Munising died Wednesday, September 1, 2010 at his home. He was born on August 22, 1917, the first baby born on St. Martin's Hill, the tenth of fourteen children to the late Mitchell and Louise (nee Dore) St. Martin. Dick attended kindergarten at Lincoln School the first year that it was open. He was a lifelong resident of Munising, with a forty-five year hiatus in Seney, MI, as a Standard Oil Agent.
Dick met the love of his life Myrtle Rappert while they were both working at Munising Woodenware. They were married on November 26, 1938. He served in the U.S. Armed Forces during WWII in the Rhineland Campaign. Dick was wounded in a battle where thirty-five soldiers went up a hill and only two returned for which he was awarded the Purple Heart.
After returning from Europe, Dick and Myrtle operated a neighborhood grocery store on West Superior Street for ten years. He also worked part time for Bancroft Dairy then Standard Oil.
His experience as a driver for Standard Oil opened the door for his move to Seney as a Standard Oil Agent. While in Seney, Dick became involved in township politics, The Seney Wildlife Refuge, and the community as a whole. He was the township supervisor for thirty-five years. He was the main instrument in starting the Visitors Center through volunteer program at the refuge, and establishing the Seney Museum in the old Railroad Depot. Dick was also a huge part of getting the grants to fund the fire hall and fire engine, the snowmobile groomers, and the Seney ice rink and pavilion. Not only did he help get these things started, he continued to volunteer at the refuge and drive the groomers late into the winter nights. Dick was a member of the Lions Club, and was a Past Post Commander of American Legion Post 131, and a Fourth Degree Knight in the Knights of Columbus. He was a faithful member of Sacred Heart Church in Munising and St. Therese in Germfask, where he served as a lector and usher. Dick enjoyed playing cards, hunting, fishing, and he loved Munising and its beautiful bay. He was able to take many hunting and fishing trips throughout North America, even going on a moose hunt in Canada after his 85th birthday. Dick never knew a stranger, everyone he met became a friend, and he would tell anyone who would listen a story, most of which had a good life lesson to go along with it.
Dick is survived by his wife of nearly seventy-two years - Myrtle of Munising; son - Ron (Mary) St. Martin of Vienna, VA; two daughters - Rose (Roy Robinson) St. Martin of Trenary, and Cheryl (John Foster) St. Martin of Rumley; grandchildren - Jenny St. Martin, Robert (Laura) Hendrickson, Jason (Tammy) Hendrickson, Teresa (Dennis) Pitt, Christina (Hunter Westra) Saint Martin, and Sgt. Kathryn Stephens U.S. Army; great-grandchildren - Aaron, Ryan, Sierra, Caitlyn, and Austin; sister - Dorothy (Jim) Oas; two sisters-in-law; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents - Mitchell and Louise; daughter- Louise St. Martin; grandson - Clayton St. Martin; and twelve brothers and sisters.
Dick's visitation will be on Sunday, September 5, 2010 from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m. with a Parish Vigil Service beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Bowerman Funeral Home in Munising. Fr. Chris Gardner will celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial on Monday, September 6, at the Sacred Heart Church at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at Maple Grove Cemetery where the Alger County Veterans Council and American Legion Honor Guard will conduct military honors. Memorials may be made in Dick's name to the American Legion Scholarship fund.
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