Caribou-Winfred J. "Fred" Martin, a lifelong resident of Caribou, passed away on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 surrounded by his family at the Maine Veteran’s Home in Augusta. He was born on December 18, 1920 at the family farm in North Caribou, ME to the late Levi and Clara (Sirois) Martin. He was the second child in a family of six siblings: Ansel, Anita, Lorraine, Malcolm and Gilman who all survive him.
Throughout his life, he spoke about living and working on the farm. Very proud of his Acadian heritage, he did extensive genealogical research on the Martin family name. He attended a one-room schoolhouse until the eighth grade. He was a 1939 graduate of Caribou High School where he excelled both academically and athletically. In 1938, he won the New England Cross Country Championship. After high school he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps where he learned to compile engineering data that were used to create state maps. He also was able to take courses from the University of Maine that would be beneficial to him in the future.
In 1942, he joined the U.S Army Air Force and was First sergeant- Bomb Reconnaissance Operator. Holding the rank of Staff Sergeant, he was separated from active service in 1946. After separation from the service he returned home and found employment as the store manager for the Caribou Food Store. On November 27, 1946 he married Verna S. Corbin. They were married for 55 years before she died in 2001. In 1950 he became the office manager for Consolidated Construction Company during the construction of Loring Air Force Base. In 1960 he became the Personnel Director and Safety Engineer for Potato Service Inc., in Presque Isle. From 1967 until his retirement in 1988, he was the Division Office Manager for the Maine Department of Transportation.
He was an accomplished artist and book illustrator. In 1992, at the age of 71, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Art from the University of Maine at Presque Isle. For over thirty years he taught art at adult education classes held in Caribou and Van Buren. Cary Medical Center in Caribou and the Aroostook Centre Mall in Presque Isle are examples of large murals the he had painted. He also painted a triptych of early Caribou for the Caribou Historical Society. For many years he donated one of his paintings to be used as a fundraiser at the annual Maine State Employees Association meeting.
He was an active and devoted member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church. He was a 4th Degree member of the Knights of Columbus, president of the Holy Rosary Society, President of the Parish Council, member of the choir, active member of the Cursillo movement, Canter, Minister of the Eucharist, Alter Server, Lector, member of the Bishop’s Diocesans Council, President of the Catholic Golden Age and many other church activities during his lifetime.
He was also involved in many community activities such as the Junior Chamber of Commerce, member of the Caribou Athletics Association – Rules Committee, and President of the Caribou Historical Society. He was a member of the Henry B. Pratt Post 15 of the American Legion. He served as President of the James I. Hoyt Chapter of the Maine State Employees Retiree Chapter.
Fred’s family would like to offer our special thanks to the staff of Maine Veterans’ Home of Augusta for the care and compassion they showed to Fred during his time there.
He is survived by his four children: Glenda “Gig” Currier and her husband Jeff of Anchorage, AK, James Martin and his wife Linda of Sidney, Michael Martin of China and Malcolm Martin of Caribou; seven grandchildren: Jason Currier and his wife Debbie of Wasilla, AK, Anica Estes and her husband Steve of Cordova, AK, Jessica Parsons and her husband Ben of Stetson, Nathan Martin of Augusta, Michael Martin, Jr. of York, Whitney Reeves and her husband Seabren of Brunswick and Chelsey Carrier and her husband Pete of Skowhegan; seven great-grandchildren: Ben and Cate Currier, Keegan and Asha Estes, Seabren and Sondre Reeves and Brayden Carrier; as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.
A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Wednesday, April 13th at 12 noon at St. Augustine Catholic Church, Northern Ave., Augusta. Burial will be in the spring in Holy Rosary Cemetery in Caribou.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to HealthReach Hospice, 150 Dresden Ave., Gardiner, ME, 04345.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Winfred Martin, please visit our flower store.
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