Fifth Generation

186. Eugene Norbert "Marty" MARTEN was born on 24 April 1928 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^5,87 He died on 26 July 2015 at the age of 87 in Cottonwood, Apache County, AZ.^301,302

Obituary Notes: "Eugene “Marty” Norbert Marten died July 26, 2015, at his home in Cottonwood, surrounded by his family. He was born on April 24, 1928, in Tomah, to Norbert and Emma (Rosenow) Marten.

Following graduation from Tomah High School, he joined the U.S. Army. He served with the occupation forces in Japan, in 1947 to 1948, where he became editor of the Pacific Stars and Stripes, serving directly under General Douglas A. McArthur. This paper served all the U.S. forces in Japan, and the entire Pacific theater. He also served during the Korean War.

Marten attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, received his Bachelor’s Degree from Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind., and did master’s work at the University of Oregon in Eugene.

He married Joyce Lawrence Nov. 25, 1948, in Tomah. In the fall of 1953, the couple purchased the Montpelier Herald in Montpelier, Ind., building the newspaper up and selling it in 1957. A leading story while there was Marty’s interview of Elvis Presley. They then purchased a larger newspaper property in LaGrange, Ind. The LaGrange Publishing Company publishes the LaGrange Standard and LaGrange News and serves the entire county. Keeping their interest in the Indiana newspapers, they moved on to Arizona, in 1969, where they purchased the Verde Independent. At that time it was a small, tab-size publication serving the Upper Verde Valley. It grew with the Valley until it was a full-size, twice a week publication, including special sections for Camp Verde and Sedona. Often, it ran to 60 pages. Marten believed a community newspaper should be solely devoted to the lives, activities, concerns and interests of people in the community.

In July 1979, they sold the Independent to Western Newspapers. Following the sale of the newspaper, the couple traveled extensively to over 75 countries on six continents, including many third world countries. They traveled coast to coast and border to border, as well as into Alaska and Mexico, in their motor home.

Marten had been active in a wide variety of service and professional organizations, including president of Arizona Newspaper Association, Grand Canyon Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (Sigma Delta Chi,) Cottonwood Progressive Association, Clarkdale-Verde District Kiwanis Club and the Verde Valley Ambulance Company. He was also a former board member of Community Newspapers of Arizona, Verde Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Verde Valley Fair Association.

He was a charter member of Faith Lutheran Church and for the past 20 years, has been a member of Rock of Ages Lutheran Church in Sedona.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Joyce; children, Michael (Debbie) Marten of Steamboat Springs, Colo., Dennis (Beth Ann) Marten of Chandler, Ariz., Elizabeth (Dave) Handley of Mammoth Lakes, Calif. and Patricia (Michael) Chesney of Medford, Oreg. He is also survived by ten grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and one sister, Caryl (Mack) Thomason of Toccoa, Ga.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister; brother; son; daughter; and grandson.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, at Rock of Ages Lutheran Church, 390 Dry Creek Road in Sedona. The Rev. Dave Gruenhagen will officiate."

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Eugene Norbert "Marty" MARTEN and Joyce Shirley LAWRENCE were married on 25 November 1948 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.³⁰³ Joyce Shirley LAWRENCE was born on 19 March 1928 in Iron Mountain, Dickinson County, MI.³⁰³ She died on 11 August 2015 at the age of 87 in Cottonwood, Apache County, AZ.³⁰³

Obituary Notes: "Joyce Shirley (Lawrence) Marten died Aug. 11, 2015, in Cottonwood, following her husband to heaven after his death July 26. She was born March 19, 1928, in Iron Mountain, Mich., to Glen and Agnes (Fredrickson) Lawrence.

Following graduation from Tomah High School, Joyce attended La Crosse State Teacher’s College and graduated from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. She then taught school in Delhi, Iowa.

She married Eugene (Marty) Marten Nov. 25, 1948, in Tomah. In the fall of 1953, the couple purchased the Montpelier Herald in Montpelier, Ind., building the newspaper up and selling it in 1957. They then purchased a larger newspaper property in La Grange, Ind. The LaGrange Publishing Company publishes the LaGrange Standard and LaGrange News and serves the entire county. Keeping their interest in the Indiana newspapers, they moved on to Arizona, in 1969, where they purchased the Verde Independent. At that time it was a small, tab-size publication serving the Upper Verde Valley. It grew with the Valley until it was a full-size, twice a week publication, including special sections for Camp Verde and Sedona. Often it ran to 60 pages. They believed a community newspaper should be solely devoted to the lives, activities, concerns and interests of people in the community. Joyce had a very popular weekly column, “Voice from the Kitchen,” in both the La Grange paper and the Verde Independent.

In July 1979, they sold the Independent to Western Newspapers. Following the sale of the newspaper, the couple traveled extensively to more than 75 countries on six continents, including many third world countries. They traveled coast to coast and border to border, as well as into Alaska and Mexico, in their motor home.

Joyce had been active in a wide variety of service and business organizations, including Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, Business and Professional Woman’s Club, the Coterie (a literary club,) Republican Women, and the churches she attended. She also helped start a kindergarten in Montpelier.

She was a charter member of Faith Lutheran Church and for the past 20 years has been a member of Rock of Ages Lutheran Church in Sedona.

She is survived by her children, Michael (Debbie) Marten, Steamboat Springs, Colo., Dennis (Beth Ann) Marten, Chandler, Ariz., Elizabeth (Dave) Handley, Mammoth Lakes, Calif., and Patricia (Michael) Chesney, Medford, Oreg. She is also survived by ten grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a sister; and a brother. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband; parents; a sister; two brothers; son; daughter; and grandson.

Services will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, at Rock of Ages Lutheran Church, 390 Dry Creek Road, Sedona. The Rev. Dave Gruenhagen will officiate."

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