George Martin passes.

[Chris Pile]

I am sad to report that longtime SDC and Midway Chapter member George Martin passed away from a long illness the afternoon of Monday, February 22nd of 2016. George had a special love for Studebaker trucks. He was a brilliant electronics engineer, with a long career at Beechcraft. George collaborated on many "special projects", especially the covert surveillance aircraft for America's spy agencies and the military. George had the look of an easy going "good old boy" that hid a sharp mind with clever humor. George seldom failed to attend a chapter meeting without telling at least one good joke. He will be missed. Plans for funeral services are not known at this time.

[Chris Pile]

George's obituary...

http://www.bakerfhvc.com/fh/obituari...24&fh_id=13725

[Chris Pile]

I first met George Martin in 1998 when I joined Midway Chapter. Since we both worked at Raytheon Aircraft (now Beechcraft), we had common ground to talk about - not just Studebakers. George also gardened, and advised me on tomato care when I started my own plot of vegetables. He urged me to grow extra to give away to local charities, which I did. I knew George was a deacon in his church, teaching Sunday School, and was also a longtime Boy Scout troop leader.

At his funeral, I found even more dimensions to George - he played guitar. He never mentioned that to me, even though he knew I played and was a local guitar repairman and builder of note. He also wrote a lot of music, especially hymns. A quartet sang his "O, Jordan River" at his funeral. He also wrote poetry, much of it religious, and dogs were a favorite subject. On top of that, he was finishing up a book about his father's farming history and techniques. I wonder if it will ever be published...

Anyway, I left the funeral wishing I had spent even more time with George. The guy was deep, and I apparently just paddled around in the shallow end of his life. Rest in peace, George.