Mr. Charles Robert Martin, beloved husband and father, passed away on Wednesday, February 15, 2012*. Mr. Martin was born on July 28, 1925 in Decatur, Alabama, to Charles D. and Mildred E. Martin (Sledge).

Mr. Martin is survived by three daughters, Linda Nichols and Brenda Stokes of Sevierville, TN, and Roberta Keever of Cincinnati, Ohio. He has eight grandchildren, seven great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

Mr. Martin served 24 and a half years in the United States Army during World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He retired with the Army as Sergeant First Class.

He was a faithful member of Fellowship Baptist Church in Sevierville, TN. Mr. Martin was a long-time Mason, having received the Master Mason Degree on March 22, 1962. He joined the Scottish Rite Masons and Shriners on April 24, 1965. He was Coronated 33rd Degree Mason on October 7, 1997. Mr. Martin served his Masonic Lodge in Germany as Deputy District Grand Master. He served also as Founding Junior Warden of the Past Masters Research Lodge No. 950 of the American-Canadian Grand Lodge and Master of Mountain Star Lodge No. 197 in Sevierville, TN. Mr. Martin was also active in the Order of the Eastern Star, having served as Worthy Patron in three chapters; two in Germany and Sevierville Chapter No. 138.

Mr. Martin was an avid traveler, having visited all 50 U.S. states, Canada, Mexico, Japan, South Korea, South Vietnam, Wake Island and Guam. Also Newfoundland, Greenland, Iceland, the Azores, the Isle of Capri, Belgium, Austria, Denmark, France, Luxemburg, Lichtenstein, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Romania, Italy, The Vatican, Switzerland, Spain, East Germany, West Germany, Holland, England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland.

He attended the University of Maryland for Business Administration.

Mr. Martin served as President of Sevier County AARP Chapter 4462 and was a proud member of American Legion Post 104 in Sevierville, Tennessee.

Graveside Service will be at 1:00 PM Friday February 17, 2012 at the Crescent Hill Cemetery in Scottsville, KY. 

[Source: The Mountain Press]

*NOTE:  A similar obituary for Charles listed his date of death as Tuesday, February 14, 2012 but his headstone inscription agrees with the 15th.

Grave marker for Charles R. and Billie Wray Martin in the Crescent Hill Cemetery, Scottsville (Allen county), Kentucky.

Pvt Martin was transferred to Service Company, 508th from the Headquarters, 82d Airborne Division Leicester, England on 21 Sept 1944.  He was subsequently transferred to Company C.

Pfc Martin was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge for action during the Battle of Germany Campaign #1, 17 Sept 1944 to 13 Nov 1944.

He retired as a Sergeant First Class after twenty four and a half years in Army and served during World War II, Korea and Vietnam.