William Robert Martens' Obituary
William R. “Bill” Martens, of Cinnaminson, passed away peacefully at home on Monday, February 5, 2018. He was 88.
Bill was the beloved husband of the late Rosemary (Stewart) and loving father of seven children, 11 grandchildren and two great-granddaughters.
Born in Jersey City during the Depression, Bill enlisted in the U.S. Air Force after graduating with honors from St. Peter’s Prep. He started his military career in high-security intelligence. His unit, based in Japan just before the Korean War, intercepted and analyzed Russian and Chinese radio transmissions. But his great hope was to become an Air Force physician. One evening on the base, while watching a Cary Grant–Rosalind Russell comedy, he gave a hard laugh and was suddenly choking. His handkerchief filled with bright red blood. Tuberculosis, the same disease that had killed his mother just a few years ago.
Corporal Martens was returned to the States for a long hospital recovery with two prized possessions: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare and a new baseball glove. But he would soon come to think of TB as his stroke of incredible luck. At his first job in Manhattan, he suffered a relapse and landed in the new East Orange VA Hospital on Nurse Stewart’s floor. His fellow TB patients had already noticed her—they thought she looked just like Rosalind Russell. And being a quiet man, humble, he thought he didn’t stand a chance. But right away the two realized they had much in common, mainly an insatiable curiosity about the world. They exchanged books on every subject. And they also shared a deep Catholic faith.
They were married 60 years before Rosemary died in August 2015 after a brief illness. he missed her terribly. But each day since, he would say how grateful he was, marveling about that long-ago illness brought him to her hospital floor.
Bill leaves behind children Paul (wife Lisa, sons Alex [daughter Hailey] and Daniel); Christopher (wife Denise), Katherine (husband John Schultz, children Kate [husband Alex Vetter, daughter Joanna], Matt, Will and Peter); David (wife Yonnie, son Brian); Ellin; Jane (husband Arthur Tubbs, children Emily [husband Cody McKenney] and Michael); and Robert (wife Wendy, children Eric and Colleen).
Family and friends are invited to visit with Bill’s family at Sacred Heart Church, 4th St. and Linden Ave., Riverton, on Saturday, Feb. 10, from 10 to 10:45 a.m. His Memorial Mass will follow at 11 a.m. Interment at Brigadier General William C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery will be held privately at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill’s name may be made to St. Peter’s Prep, 144 Grand St., Jersey City, NJ 07302 (spprep.org), or Catholic Relief Services, 228 W. Lexington St., Baltimore, MD 21201 (crs.org). To share memories and condolences with Bill’s family, please visit www.Givnish.com.
What’s your fondest memory of William?
What’s a lesson you learned from William?
Share a story where William's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with William you’ll never forget.
How did William make you smile?