passed away on Sunday February 16, 2020 at Munson Healthcare Grayling Hospital with his loving family by his side.
Dick was born on April 30, 1936 in Pontiac, Michigan to Romeo and Mary (Vachon) Martin. He grew up in the Pontiac area and graduated from St. Michael’s High School in 1954. After spending three years in the Automobile Industry, Dick moved to Houghton Lake where he opened his own auto supply company named Martin’s Tech Supply which he operated for over 40 years. Dick was married on April 21, 1972 in Houghton Lake to Ruth Margaret Hooper. Over the years in Roscommon County he was always active in volunteering and assisting with community events and projects. He joined the Roscommon Twp. Fire Department in 1975 and went through the ranks until becoming the Chief of the department in 1987, serving 29 1/2 years as Chief before his retirement in 2017. While with the fire department he was involved in creating the Roscommon County Firemen’s Association, Roscommon County Hazmat Team, and expanding and improving his own department. He also served 20 years working on an Ambulance for the Roscommon Township Ambulance Authority. In 2018 the Roscommon County Board of Commissioners made the resolution naming him the Roscommon County person of the year, also a resolution from the State of Michigan thanking him for his service was presented to Dick in 2018 by State Representative Daire Rendon. In June of 2018 Roscommon Township renamed and dedicated the fire station, in his honor, as the Richard P. Martin Fire Station.
Surviving Mr. Martin are his loving wife of nearly 48 years, Ruth Margaret Martin of Houghton Lake; two daughters, Sue (Ron) Johnson of Tustin, and Terri (Daryle) Laughlin of Marion; two sons, Douglas (Jenni) Smith of Panama City, Fl and Michael(Sharon) Martin of Iron Mountain; several grandchildren and great grandchildren; three sisters, Maryjane Stone of Lapeer, Rita Stevens-Collier of Waterford, and Ruthann Judd of Longwood, FL; brother, Robert (Barbara) Martin of Waterford; several nieces and nephews. Richard was preceded in death by his parents; son, Ronald R Martin; and sister, Bernadette.
Mass of Christian Burial for Richard Paul Martin will be conducted at 11:00 am Friday February 21. 2020 from Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church with Fr. Bernard Tyler officiating. Interment will be in Roscommon Twp. Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday February 20, 2020 from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Christler Funeral Home – Houghton Lake Chapel. Memorial contributions in memory of Richard are asked to be directed to the family. Christler Funeral Home, Houghton Lake Chapel is serving the family. Condolences can be sent to the family online at www.christler-holdship.com
