Jack Martin

Jack I. Martin, a businessman and community leader in Carmi, IL who devoted his life to his family,friends and neighbors died July 25, 2017 in Newburgh, Indiana. He was 63. The cause of death was a severe brain hemorrhage.

Mr. Martin graduated from Carmi Community High School in 1971, and attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where he was president of the Sigma Tau Gama fraternity. He moved back to
Carmi to take over Draper’s Store for Men from the late H.G. Draper. When retail men’s clothing in small town America proved a difficult business in late 1980s, he began his banking career at First National Bank of Carmi, and graduated from the American Banking Association’s Stonier Graduate
School of Banking. He left First Bank, bought his first pick-up truck, and became a partner in Midland Ag Center where he managed the finances and hauled the occasional anhydrous ammonia tank. When Midland sold to Crop Production Services, Mr. Martin tried out retirement, but soon found himself back in the banking business at Old National Bank, and was President of the Carmi branch of First-Mid Illinois Bank at his death. Mr. Martin also served as Carmi Township Clerk for over 24 years.

Mr. Martin was a committed member of the Carmi First United Methodist Church where he headed various committees and made pick-ups around town for elderly members on Sunday mornings and for children attending the Wednesday After-School Program. He was also a member of the Carmi Country Club, Carmi Elks Club, Carmi Kiwanis Club, and former President of the Carmi Chamber of Commerce. In 2015 his peers in the Carmi business community named him Citizen of the Year.

Mr. Martin is survived by his wife of 42 years, and high-school sweetheart, Sharon Brown Martin; son, John Casey Martin and wife Katy and his grandchildren, George Timothy and Peter Thomas Martin of Kansas City, Missouri. He is also survived by his siblings, Lara (Rick) Carter, Patty Martin, Mike (Amanda) Martin all of Carmi, and Mary (Jim) Wakefield of Cincinnati, OH; mother and father in-law Harry and Ruth Brown of Ballwin, Missouri; sister and brother in-law Debra and Jon Gice of Portland, Oregon; and, brother-in- law Keith Brown of Manchester, Missouri. He was blessed with a group of nieces and nephews to whom he was much more than just Uncle Jack: Josh Carter, Betsy Ingersol, Megan Goff, Cassie Martin, Caroline Martin, Allee Martin, Ashley Wakefield, Conner Wakefield, Devin Wakefield, Brett Watts, Brad Watts, Brian Watts, Lindsey Gice Mottl and Leigh Ruppe.

To list the friends and colleagues Mr. Martin so cherished in his life, and who cherished him, would be an impossible task. His business - his passion - was building and maintaining relationships with those he
loved and respected.

Mr. Martin was preceded in death by his son, Timothy Brown Martin, and parents John A. and Hilda Martin.

A visitation will be held at Campbell Funeral Home in Carmi on Saturday, July 29, 2017 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.  Funeral services will take place at Carmi First United Methodist Church on Sunday July 30, 2017 at 2 p.m. with visiting from 1:00 p.m. until service time. Burial will be in Kuykendall Cemetery in Carmi.  Memorial contributions may be made in Mr. Martin’s memory to the Carmi First United Methodist Church and will be accepted at Campbell Funeral Home in Carmi.