FREDRICK S. MARTIN

Longtime La Conner resident Fred Martin died peacefully of natural causes at age 97 on Tuesday, June 14, in Mount Vernon.

Fred was born in Burlington on November 1, 1918, with the name Fredrick L. Saunders. In 1921, when the family fell on hard times, Fred was given to the Seattle Children’s Home. In 1927, Fred was taken to the Martin’s home on Orcas Island to be their laborer because of the couples declining health. At this time Fred became known as Fredrick S. Martin.

At the age of 18, Fred decided he needed more than a grade school education and began attending Olympia High School in 1937.

As he was about to finish as the class Valedictorian, World War II broke out, and Fred enlisted in the U.S. Navy in February 1942 and received his high school diploma via mail while in basic training in San Diego, California.

Fred served in the South Pacific, including on Guadalcanal, where he began as a Pharmacist Mate 3rd Class, eventually achieving Pharmacist Mate 1st Class.

Fred was part of a mobile hospital unit, Mobile Unit 8, that was set up at Henderson Field.

While there, the hospital was repeatedly bombed by the Japanese.

He handled triage for the wounded Marines coming in from battles throughout the South Pacific.

Later he was the chief medical officer of a 110-foot-long APc-50 transport ship that transported men and supplies throughout the South Seas.

After the war, Fred attended the University of Washington, School of Pharmacy, and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1950. As a Navy Reservist, he then served from 1951-1952 during the Korean War. After discharge in 1952, he married the love of his life, Margaret Feller.

After the birth of their first son and daughter, Fred purchased the La Conner Drug Store in 1956 and practiced pharmacy for 52 years before retirement at 88 years of age. During those 52 years, Fred served in many capacities for the La Conner community and Skagit County.

There are too many achieve-ments of service to the community to mention here, but it should be mentioned that Fred was a lifetime member of Rotary and served two terms as the mayor of La Conner from 1970 through 1978. Many may not know that he was responsible for ensuring, at the request of the community, that the Rainbow Bridge be painted orange.

Fred is survived by his wife Margaret, and children John (Denise), Faye, Glen (Rita), and Karen (Dennis), his grandchildren Jonathan (Tori) and Matthew, and his great-grandchild, Boyd Everett Martin.

Services were held Monday and Fred’s remains were interred at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery.

You may share your memories of Fred and sign his online guest register at http://www.kernfuneralhome.com Arrangements are under the care of Kern Funeral Home.