John "Jack" Fredrick Martin

Jack was born John Fredrick Martin on May 11, 1931 to Johnny Martin and Ethel Green Martin. He grew up in the Deer Lodge Valley, where his grandparents and parents farmed for 50 years before his birth. Jack was orphaned at age 15, and moved to Anaconda when the family farm was sold following his parents' deaths. He worked various jobs until settling on bricklaying as his vocation. Jack was a builder, with a gift for seeing the potential of any structure, and finding ways to transform ordinary homes into beautiful living spaces. He worked in commercial construction as a brick mason for about 25 years, until it became too physically challenging. He spent several years after that as an insurance adjustor, and then as operations manager for Southgate Mall in Missoula. He never stopped building. He built or remodeled several homes in Missoula and in the Bitterroot valley. He derived great pleasure from and took pride in building things and watching other people enjoy them. He continued working on remodel projects well into his 80s.

In 1950, Jack married Alice Jo Donovan in Anaconda. Jack and Alice Jo raised 10 children together, and lived in the Deer Lodge valley and then Missoula until Alice's passing in 1993. In 2001, Jack married Linda, and they celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary a few days before Jack passed.

Jack is survived by his wife Linda, his brother George (Lorraine) and 10 children: Pam Baylor, Missoula; Kathy Martin, Jericho, VT; Terri Casillas (Ed), Florence; Pat Martin (Dave Eckert), Marysville, WA; Chris Ruffatto (Cliff), Stevensville; Peggy Kaan (Rick), Hot Springs, SD; John F. Martin Jr. (Barb), Victor; Melody Sanders (Jim), Anaconda; Tom Martin (Verina), San Antonio, TX; and Bernie Martin (Jody), Snohomish WA. Jack has 19 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren in Montana, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Washington, Nevada, Colorado and Texas. Jack was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Alice, his brother Will and sisters Ethel, Caroline and Donna, his lifelong friend Jack Perkins, as well as his beloved granddaughter Sarah Blackwell.