William "Bill" Martin

William “Bill” Edward Martin, age 81, of Detroit Lakes, MN, passed away on Thursday, August 30, 2018, at the Cottages at Ecumen.  A funeral service will be at 11:00 am on Friday, September 7, 2018, at First Lutheran Church in Detroit Lakes, with a time of gathering an hour prior.  A visitation will be from 5-7 pm on Thursday, September 6, 2018, at David Donehower Funeral Home, with a prayer service at 6:30 PM.  The burial will follow the funeral at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Callaway, MN.

Bill was born on November 19, 1936, to Leo and Ida (Rehborg) Martin in Lisbon, ND.  He grew up on the family farm in Lisbon and graduated from Lisbon High School in 1954.  He joined the Navy and served from 1954 to 1957.  After the Navy, he went to work for the Creamette Macaroni Company where he worked for 29 years as a traveling salesman.  Bill then married Judith Swenson and the couple had two children, David and LeAnn.  He was united in marriage on July 27, 1991, to Donna (Foltz) Walz in Detroit Lakes.  Bill retired from sales in 1995 and went on to work at Mason Brothers and for Foltz Buildings.

Bill enjoyed riding motorcycles and ATVs.  He liked deer hunting and pheasant hunting in South Dakota.  He was also an avid Vikings fan.  He enjoyed collecting and trading model semi-trucks and had over 50.

He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Donna; two children, David (Shelley) Martin of Patterson, LA, and LeAnn Loomis of Galchutt, ND; four step-children: Steve Walz of Detroit Lakes,MN; Paul Walz of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Scott (Tiffiny) Walz of Audubon, MN; Julie (Dan) Neenan of Cary, IL; five grandchildren: Nick, Kristina, Staci, Blake, and Austin; five great-grandchildren; a brother-in-law, Clayton Erickson of Lakeville, MN; nine step-grandchildren; and three step-great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Leo and Ida Martin; a brother, James Martin; a sister, Faye Erickson; and a grandchild, Amanda Loomis.

In Lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Hospice of the Red River Valley.