MARTIN, Joseph E. - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Joseph E. Martin, age 82, a native of Fountain County and a life-resident of Covington and community with the exception of eight years, died Friday, Oct. 4, in his trailer home residence in Sarasota, Fla. He lived alone and his body was not found until Monday, Oct. 7. Mr. Martin was born March 7, 1881 in Wabash Township, Fountain County, the son of Jesse and Ann Burgett Martin. He was married to Mertie Mae Keerns March 31, 1901, and she preceded him in death Aug. 26, 1957. He was the last of a family of eight children. He had been a farmer for several years and had operated a grocery store in Covington from 1933 to 1943. He and his wife spent the winter months in Florida for several years before they moved there eight years ago. He was a former member of the Odd Fellows Lodge of Covington. He is survived by four daughters and one son: Mrs. Jessie Brown of Danville, Ill., Mrs. Anna Linton of Wingate Rt. 1, Mrs. Gladys Pool of Monon, Orville Martin of Sarasota, and Mrs. Muriel Robinson, also of Sarasota; 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, seven brothers and sisters, his wife, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Short funeral services were held Tuesday at the Tolle Bros. Funeral Home in Sarasota. The body will be brought to the Bodine & Shelby Funeral Home here where friends may call after 2 p.m. Friday. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. The Rev. O. J. Thomas of Danville, Ill., a former Covington minister, and the Rev. C. R. Tallman will officiate. Burial will be in Mt. Hope Cemetery.  --typed by Walt W