» Letters

My Dad

staci baird — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:24:38 +0000

John Ross Martin April 15, 1941-Oct. 4, 2008
Funeral services for John Ross Martin, 67, of Shawnee Mission will be held at Lamb Roberts Funeral Home in Ottawa, KS Friday, Oct. 10 at 2:30 p.m. Visitation with the family will be from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in memory of John Ross Martin to the Heart of America chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. 3846 W 75th St, Prairie Village, KS 66208. We’re working to setup a memorial fund with the SETI Foundation. For now, you can make a donation directly to the SETI Institute just let them know it’s in memory of John Ross Martin.

Dad was a good looking guy. He was quite the ladies man in high school, college and the assisted living home.

People use words like “intelligent” “handsome” “ornery” to describe my Dad. But for me, the only words that can describe him are “my Daddy.”

I most definitely was, and always will be, a Daddy’s girl. Even as I am my Mother’s daughter. I owe my career to my Dad. He pushed me to get in to computers (as I rolled my eyes and complained about the hours he spent holed up in his basement, with only a single desk lamp lighting the room, bent over a keyboard, typing furiously)….

So many lovable quirks and hundreds of memories that I hope to commemorate on “paper” someday to share with my children. But for now, I just want to get the facts down.

My Dad was born April 15, 1941, in Ottawa, KS, the son of Harry William and Helen Lucile Martin. He was the great grandson of famed Tall Tale Postcard creator William Harrison “Dad” Martin of Ottawa, KS.

He graduated from Ottawa High School in 1959 and attended the University of Kansas, where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. He graduated with a B.A. in Political Science in 1966.

Dad was an interpreter with the United States Air Force from 1962 to 1965. He learned to translate Russian in Syracuse, NY before shipping out to Okinawa, Japan.

Dad earned a Masters in International Business from Thunderbird School of Global Management, Phoenix, AZ in 1968. He was Director of Marketing, Southeast Asia, for Shure Brothers Electronics from 1968 to 1970.

Dad also earned a Juris Doctor degree from Washburn University School of Law in 1973. He was Executive Director and lobbyist for the Kansas Petroleum Council in Topeka, KS from 1980 to 1991.

In the mid-90′s, my Dad developed several educational games in Hypercard for the Macintosh computer. He marketed and sold his games in 22 states and around the world.

Dad grew up in Kansas but lived in Chicago, Japan, Phoenix and Seattle. He knew a lot about a lot of different things. He was a popular guy, and I often invited him to my parties because my friends enjoyed chatting with him.

I have no doubt that we three girls were the most important things in the world to Dad. As much as he worried about us I hope he is finally at peace and that he knows we’ll do our best to make him proud.

The best damn eggs ever

staci baird — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 03:54:23 +0000

I whipped up a batch of scrambled eggs the other day. Just like Dad taught me, with a spoonful of cottage cheese to make them light and fluffy. Seriously, this is the only way to eat scrambled eggs.

It’s funny, the things you remember, and the things you don’t. I’m suddenly reminded of Dad when I’m making scrambled eggs, but when I sit down and purposely try to remember, I can’t seem to recall a thing.

With a little help from my sis, I managed to put together a list of a few classic “Dadisms”:

“Always borrowing your sisters’ clothes. You’re all a bunch of communists.”

“I drink Cranapple juice every day. I haven’t had a cold in 15 years.”

“That guy just pulled out of nowhere. Hey turkey! Watch where you’re going!”

“Where’s your coat?”

“Dadism” were usually followed by a certain look. Sort of a frown/grimace.

As I recall, Dad guided my sister’s and I through life with these slightly eccentric “isms” and a gentle, yet firm grip around our necks.

Have fun, Avoid trouble

staci baird — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:26:25 +0000

I found this picture of my Dad and scanned it to send him. On the back of the picture he had written this note:

Me in an untailored flight suit – Japan – Green made some sort of weird expression and I responded with a face full of teeth.

The front of the picture says March 1965.

The picture must have been taken when Dad was on base in Okinawa. He was 24 years old.

I remember Dad telling me a story about how he and some buddies had snuck off base to go to a bar. The MP’s (Military Police) showed up and starting looking under the tables. Dad told me they were looking for military shoes. Apparently, the airmen would wear “civilian clothes” – jeans and T-shirts – but the only shoes they had were their military dress shoes and their flight boots. Dad told me was at a table in the back of bar so as soon as he saw the MP’s he went to the bathroom and crawled out the window. He ran all the way back to the base and didn’t get caught.

According to most of the stories I’ve heard, my Dad was always able to avoid getting in trouble. He was ornery alright, like the rest of the Martin men (and the women too), but Dad was also clever.

I’d like to think Dad taught me a few things about having fun and avoiding trouble. He was also the kind of guy that did what he wanted to do and the hell with everyone else. I’m pretty sure I learned that from him too.