John Henry Martin

WELLSVILLE - John Henry Martin, 77, local gospel singer and church song leader, of Wellsville, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Wednesday, November 5, 2014, at Good Samaritan Hospice in Beaver, PA.

He was born September 13, 1937, in Wellsville, the son of the late General Lee and Mary Frances (Jackson) Martin. John Henry was preceded in death by two sisters: Charlotte L. Collins and JoAnn L. Perkins; and one brother: Milton E. Martin.

John married Verneta D. (Hawkins) Martin of Steubenville on August 9, 1969. Together they have three children: Shaun C. Martin and his wife, Gwen, of Copley, OH, Dana Martin of Chicago, IL, and John Michael Lee Martin and his wife, Sarah, of Cincinnati, OH. There are four grandchildren: Nathan John Martin, Andrew David Martin, and Mia Elizabeth Martin, all of Copley, OH, and Duncan Anthony Martin of Cincinnati, OH. Also surviving is one sister: Patricia B. Pullie and her husband, Luther, of Wellsville; and one brother: Paul J. Martin and his wife, Judi, of Lancaster, SC. John is also survived by twelve nieces and nephews: Cheryl Lynn Banks Irwin and her husband, Bobby, of Philadelphia, PA, Quentin Carter, Lisa Collins, Loretta Martin Manahan and her husband, Sean, and Andy Martin and his wife, Kenda, all of Wellsville, Mary Louise Cook of New York City, Willie James Cook of Hopewell, PA, Belinda Cook of Atlanta, GA, Kelly Ree Martin of North Carolina, Patrice Pullie of Columbus, Gina Marie Harper and her husband, David, of Cleveland, and Aaron Martin of Chester, WV, as well as a host of great-nieces and great-nephews.

John Henry graduated from Wellsville High School in 1955. He held two high school records in the low hurdles and the 880 yard relay team in 1955 and received two MVP awards in high school for football and track. He played football for Division I colleges Kent State University and The University of Cincinnati. John earned as Associates Degree while at Kent State University, and he was recognized twice in the Mid-America Conference as Back of the Week. He played in the Professional Canadian Football League with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and also played football with the Syracuse Stormers and Wheeling Ironmen. John always enjoyed playing baseball, basketball, and running track.

John served in the United States Army from 1960-1962 during the Vietnam War, and was a U.S. Army decathlon champion in Norfolk, VA. He was a member of the Tri-State Veterans Burial Group. The Wellsville Veterans Memorial Council presented John Henry and The Wild Bunch an award on Memorial Day in 2001.

John retired in 2002 with thirty years of service at Crucible Steel, Colt Industries, and J&L Steel in Midland as a clerical and employment interviewer and crane operator. He also worked at TRW Metals in Minerva. He was employed at Wellsville High School as an assistant track coach in weights, shot put, and discus, and at Daw Junior High School as an assistant football and basketball coach. John was a driver's education teacher and also was employed as an associate at Roberts Funeral Home.

John Henry had been a member of the Wellsville Lions Club since 1982, serving as President in 1989. He also held the offices of Vice President, Lion Tamer, and Tail Twister, and was on the board of directors. John was the recipient of the Lion of the Year Award in 1994 and the District 13D Governor's Award in 2003.

Along with former Mayor Joe Surace and former Wellsville School District Superintendent James Brown, John was the originator of the Wellsville High School Athletic Hall of Fame, into which he was inducted in 2005. He was also inducted in 2013 into the East Liverpool Christian Softball League Hall of Fame. He was a member of American Legion Post 70, a fifty year member of Wellsville First Christian Church, and song leader of the Central United Methodist Church since 1988. John helped start the Gospel Music Festival in the 1970s, was the lead singer of gospel groups Image and The Wild Bunch, and performed as a soloist for many area churches, camps and revivals. John was well-known as the voice of the Wellsville Tigers and was often heard singing the National Anthem at basketball games as well as the 1977 commencement exercise. He was recognized in 2002 with the G.W. McMillan Friend of the School Award and in 2007 as a Wellsville Legend. John Henry could be seen performing in many of the Wellsville Alumni Association Lip Sync Shows.

The funeral service will be held at 12:00 pm Monday, November 10, 2014, at the Wellsville First Christian Church, 831 Main Street in Wellsville with Pastor Mark Blakeley of the church and Pastor Kenneth Maylone of Wellsville United Methodist Church officiating.

Burial will follow in Spring Hill Cemetery where the Tri- State Burial Group, of which John Henry was a member, will accord full military honors.

Friends may call from 2:00-4:00 and 6:00-8:00 pm Sunday in the gymnasium at Wellsville High School, 1 Bengal Boulevard, as well as two hours prior to the service at Wellsville First Christian Church on Monday.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made in John's name to the worship music at the brand new Wellsville United Methodist Church Building, c/o Wellsville United Methodist Church 1000 Main Street Wellsville, OH 43968 or the Wellsville Lions Club c/o Treasurer Gary Malone, 20396 East Terrace Drive Wellsville, OH 43968.