Obituaries & Tributes

Ernest ‘Sam’ Martin: Feb. 7. 1936 – April 12, 2022

Ernest ‘Sam’ Martin: Feb. 7. 1936 – April 12, 2022

Ernest “Sam” Martin of Dorena, 86, died April 12, 2022. He was born Feb. 7, 1936 in Caney, Okla. to Ernest Martin and Ella “Holland” Martin. He was the youngest of five. Albert “Tanner” Martin, Rufus “Bill” Martin, Edna (Looper, Crocker) Martin, Dorthy “Dot” (Maddox) Martin. He was saved and became a Christian in 1948. He married the love of his life Violet Louise (Eastburn) Martin on June 18, 1954. They moved from Cottage Grove, Ore. after the birth of their first son Samuel Robert Martin. 

Sam worked as a millworker in Hoopa, Calif., until he started driving trucks and they had their four other children – Jimmy Ray Martin, Sheryl Louise (Martin) Shumway, Brenda Gail (Martin) Speas and Ernest Lee Martin. He owned and operated many of his own trucking businesses over his life. E&S Martin Trucking with his 3 sons and a long-haul truck driver across 48 states for Schneider being the longest. Sam was a man of God, a family man, a man of his church. He loved to cook and garden, hunt and travel, old cars and lawn mowers. After the passing of his wife in 2003, he married Susan (Marion) Martin in 2006. They enjoyed their sweet dogs and their beautiful garden for many years upriver, until her passing in 2019.

Sam is survived by three of his five children Sheryl, Brenda and Ernie, his 10 grandchildren: Echo (Speas) Zeretzke, W. Ky Speas, April Shumway, Lacey Shumway, Kimberly (Martin) Crivello, Amanda Martin, Keenan Martin, Dustin Martin, Jordan Martin and Destiny Martin. And 10 great-grandchildren: Treven, Caz, Vance, Boone, Rowan, Kayson, Lena, Bryce, Skylei and Samuel. He was the center of his family and pillar of his community, always giving and helping anyone in need. He has been the co-pastor with Roy Young of the Good Samaritan Church in Dorena, Ore. for over 10 years. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and church. A funeral was held at the Row River Good Samaritan Church Monday, April 18, 2022. Interment was at Sears Cemetery in Cottage Grove. Arrangements in the care of Smith-Lund-Mills Funeral Chapel and Crematorium.

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