Stanley V. Martin

Stanley Vernon Martin was born on September 15, 1928 in Ferndale, Michigan to Charles and Emma Martin of Adams County, Indiana.  While just a toddler his family moved to Berne, Indiana, where he grew up on their small family farm.  While still in grade school, Stanley made a distinct and life lasting decision to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior and to follow Him all the days of his life. In 1945, at the age of 17, his family moved to Garden Grove, California, where his first job was working smudge pots in the orange groves.  He married the love of his life, Etta Jean Harris, in 1948 and shared 55 years of a life and love journey until her passing in 2004. Their love was further defined by the addition of three children, Pamela Kay Pentecost, now of Nampa, Idaho, Bruce Stanley Martin of Anaheim, California, and Paul Allen Martin, of Nampa, Idaho.  In 1955, they moved to Anaheim, California, where he resided for almost 50 years. Stanley held a variety of leadership positions in the Anaheim First Church of the Nazarene over the five decades. 

Stanley worked a variety of jobs, the longest and last of which was with Normark & Associates food brokers, as a regional sales representative.   Stanley enjoyed going to high school football, basketball, and American Legion baseball games. He followed the Anaheim Angels, LA Lakers, and the then LA Rams. He took his family countless times to the beach and to every parade within driving distance.
In 1971, he gained a loving and loyal son-in-law, Wallace Pentecost, whose ministry he supported in as many ways as he could conceive.  After Paul’s life altering motorcycle accident in 1974, he partnered in every aspect of the care giving for almost 40 years until he was no longer physically able. In 2005, Stanley moved to Nampa, Idaho, with son, Paul to reside together with Wally & Pam. Bethel Nazarene Church became his loved church family. In latter years, while living there, he eagerly awaited the produce from Wally’s garden and titled himself the “Official Taster” of every homemade dessert.

 He took great pride and delight in loving his 3 grandsons and families: Craig & Tyrenda Pentecost and grandson, Todd of Tracy, California; Curtis and KayLynn Pentecost and granddaughters Brenna and Libby, of Nampa, Idaho, and Kyle Pentecost of Yakima, Washington. He died peacefully in his home on October 15, 2019 at the age of 91. Funeral services will be held on Monday, October 21, at 3:30 p.m. at Bethel Church of the Nazarene, Nampa and burial will be at Fairhaven Memorial Park in Santa Ana, Ca.

The foundations of Stanley’s legacy can be found in 1 Thessalonians 1:3. “As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

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