Roland Lawrence Martin, 86

Published 8:57 am Friday, November 23, 2018

Roland Lawrence Martin, 86

Roland “Rollie” Lawrence Martin, 86, died peacefully on Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, at Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Austin, Minnesota.

He was born on May 14, 1932, on a farm near Claremont, Minnesota, to Lawrence and Dorothy (Thompson) Martin. Rollie graduated from Claremont High School in 1950. He enjoyed playing on the football, basketball and baseball teams. After high school, he started working for the Hormel Company in Austin. In 1952, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he served for two years, part of it in Korea.

On Aug. 21, 1954, he married Sonya Ohrmann at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Claremont. Rollie and Sonya moved to Austin, where he continued to work at Hormel for 43 years, retiring in March 1994. He also worked for Thompson-Ellis Cement with his uncle, Alvin Thompson.

Rollie was a charter member of St. Edwards Catholic Church and school. He served on the school board and was active in church functions and fundraisers, including dinners, Mardi Gras Carnivals, helping paint the interior of the school and laying the floor tile in the school gymnasium. He also played softball on the St. Edward’s team. Rollie was a member of the VFW and the American Legion. In 1972, he was inducted into the Ted Kolb Council youth hall of fame for coaching UCT youth baseball. His hobbies included golfing, gardening, carpentry, auto repair, bird watching and going to the casino. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He will be sadly missed by family and friends.

Rollie was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Dorothy Martin; father and mother-in-law, Alfred and Veronica Ohrmann; brother and sister-in-law, Willard and Mary Martin; and sister, Marlys Hunsaker.

Rollie is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Sonya; four children, Cynthia Skinner, Rochester, Minnesota, Jayne Collins, La Farge, Wisconsin, James (Cindy) Martin, Austin, and Lynette (Mike) Richter, St. Charles, Minnesota; eight grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and two nieces.

A memorial Mass will be celebrated at noon on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, at St. Edwards Catholic Church in Austin with Father James Steffes officiating. Friends may call one hour prior to the service on Saturday at the church. Condolences may be left online at www.mayerfh.com.