Gilbert “Gib” E. Martin, 91, of Princeton passed away Friday, June 1, 2018, at the Illinois Veterans Home in LaSalle.

Gib was born Oct. 19, 1926, in Pueblo, Colo., to Cora Schenk Martin.

He graduated from Princeton High School and soon enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He served our country from October 1944 to June 1946, and was most proud of his service on the USS Franklin. He was a survivor, along with the rest of the members of the 704 Club from the USS Franklin, which nearly sunk 50 miles from the main land of Japan in 1945.

He married Mary Stencel Aug. 19, 1979. Gib started his own carpet business, Martin Flooring Company in Princeton, and then sold real estate in the area until retiring.

He was a member of the 48+ Princeton Gun Club, the Princeton Moose Lodge, Princeton Elks Lodge, Ducks Unlimited, Princeton American Legion, CV13 704 Club of USS Aircraft Carrier Franklin “Big Ben” and the Relator’s Association.

Gib is survived by his wife, Mary Stencel Martin, as well as daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his mother.

Visitation for Gib will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, June 7, at the Norberg Memorial Home in Princeton. Services will follow at 1 p.m. with Deacon John Murphy officiating. Internment will follow at at Oakland Cemetery in Princeton.

In lieu of flowers, the family asked that memorials be directed to the American Legion in Princeton or the donor’s choice.

Joseph Warren Martin peacefully entered the presence of his Savior and Lord at St. Franciscan Hospital in Enumclaw, Washington on June 11, 2018 after a brief bout with pneumonia.

He was born in Buckley, Washington on November 27, 1924 to parents John and Winnie ( Blessing ) Martin. Joe was the oldest of five siblings.

He graduated from Buckley High School in 1943 where he met the love of his life, Betty Lois Seidl. The two were married on December 3, 1944.

A short time later, Joe shipped out with the US Navy to serve in the Pacific theatre as a Radarman, first on Tarawa attached to the 3rd Marine Division and later on the USS Franklin, surviving a horrendous Japanese attack on March 1945.

After the war, Joe went to college graduating from the University of Puget Sound with a degree in Music and Library Science. Daughter Diane was born in 1945 in San Francisco. Son David was born in 1951 in Tacoma.

After college, Joe went to work as a service repairman for Interlake Steel Corporation traveling throughout the Northwest eventually retiring from that company. Joe was a gifted musician, playing his saxophone throughout his life as well as professionally every Friday and Saturday night at the Top of the Ocean Restaurant in Tacoma with the Louis Grenier Orchestra. He loved growing a huge garden which provided for family and friends.

Above all, he loved serving the Lord as an elder and teacher and was an active member of Smith Memorial Presbyterian Church in Troutdale, Oregon, Country Bible Church in Enumclaw, WA and the Buckley Presbyterian Church.

Joe was preceded in death by his wife of 72 years, Betty, father and mother and sister Jean ( Bride ). He is survived by daughter Diane McKenny of Kent, WA; son and daughter-in-law, David and Nancy Martin of Peshastin, WA; sister Laureen and Bob Conner; sister Joyanne and Lloyd Livernash; and sister Rowena and Dayton Hubbard, all of Buckley, many grandchildren, great grandchildren, great great grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at Community Presbyterian Church, Buckley, WA on Saturday June 16, 2018 at 1:00 PM.

Richard (Dick) Harding from Lexington, MA died at age 99 on May 20, 2018 after a brief illness. He was an avid sportsman participating in baseball, ice hockey and golf throughout his years at Lexington High School and Bowdoin College. He was a member of the first LHS hockey team in 1936 and was captain of the hockey and baseball teams at Bowdoin. His love of golf never ended throughout his 88 years as a member of the Lexington Golf Club where he was Club Champion 7 times, and was one of the founding members of the Lexington Ski Club finally hanging up his skis at 91! Dick continued his education at Harvard University completing his MBA after WWII where his was a decorated Navy pilot on this USS Franklin awarded with 6 air medals and the Silver Star for the Battle of Leyete Gulf. He began and ended his career as a sales represent ative and National Sales Manager for Merckens Chocolate Company, now a division of Kraft/Heinz. Dick was predeceased by this wife of 60 years, Barbara (Del), his sister and her husband Barbara (aged 100) and E. Gordon Kakas. He is survived by his children and spouses; Richard and Debra Harding, Janice and Peter Cronstrom of Dunstable, MA and James and Andrea Harding of Lexington, MA; grandchildren Christine, Ricky and wife Tracey, Jeff and wife Manjola, Kristen and husband Tri, Kelley and Matthew and 5 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his niece Sallyann Kakas and her children RK, Elise and Christian Quebec. As a close friend recently stated, He was an officer and a humble gentleman, and will leave a big hole in a lot of lives. Private services will be held later this summer on Marthas Vineyard Island where his family has resided for 11 generations. He will be buried in the family plot with his wife and parents in Vineyard Haven. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund at the Lexington Golf Club.
Published in The Lexington Minuteman from May 30 to June 14, 2018

James Roy Hancock

Tallahassee – James Roy Hancock was born in Metcalf, Georgia on November 12th 1926. After attending Leon High School he enlisted with the U.S. Navy during WW II aboard the USS Franklin. After his service in the military, Roy went on to work at Tallahassee Ford Motor Company where he remained for 50 years before his retirement. After retirement he spent much of his free time working on “wood working projects” that he gifted to his children, grandchildren and friends. Roy, long time member of Thomasville Road Baptist Church and Seminole Boosters, loved life, family, woodworking and the outdoors.

Pops lived a full, noble, happy life and passed peacefully on June 12, 2018 at age 91.

Roy is preceded in death by his first wife: Mattie Lue Hancock; a brother: Dee Hancock and sister: Kathy Scott. He is survived by his second wife whom he has been married to for 20 years: Jackie Barrineau Hancock; sons: Donald Ray (Jeanne) Hancock, Richard Keith (Margaret) Hancock, Randy (Michelle) Barrineau; daughters: Angie Barrineau (Tom) NyKamp, Georgie Barrineau (Carlos) Barrett; brother: Bobby (Joyce) Hancock; sisters: Dorothy (Wendell) Barrineau, Janice Mobley; sister-sin-law: Beth Hancock; 13 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

He will be remembered for this kindness, sense of humor, his lingering words of wisdom and his thoughtfulness. Roy, will be deeply missed by his wife, Jackie, his children and the rest of his family.

Services will be Saturday (6/16) at 2:00 PM in the Thomasville Road Baptist Church. The family will receive friends at the church, Saturday from 1:00 PM until time of service on Saturday. Interment will follow in MeadowWood Memorial Park.
Published in Tallahassee Democrat on June 14, 2018
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