The afternoon of Monday, August 15, 2016 at his home in Prior Lake, MN, David M. Martin was 78 years old, when he passed away peacefully.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, August 20, at 11, am at St. Michael Catholic Church, 16311 Duluth Avenue SE, Prior Lake, with a time of gathering starting at 9:30 am. David will be laid to rest at St. Michael Catholic Cemetery. In support of David’s love for Corvettes and classic cars, he wants owners to drive their cars to the service.
David was born on January 26, 1938 in Caro, MI to parents Vernon and Florence (Carley) Martin. An intelligent man, he focused his entire life on serving communities with electrical power, enjoying classic Corvette cars and loving and supporting his family.
Graduating from Jackson High School, Jackson, MI, in 1956, David then acquired an Electrical Engineer Degree from Tri-State College, Angola, IN, in 1959. Even before graduating, he had secured employment. Later, he spent 16 years as General Manager of Owatonna Public Utilities. Through the years, David was very instrumental in providing electrical power to parts of Indiana, Iowa, and Nebraska, with a special focus on Southern Minnesota. He helped design and built the first concrete poles. David helped engineered the first ¼ mile span of high electrical poles and also creating the nuclear power plant in Minnesota. He served as president for the Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency, Midwest Gas Association, and Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association.
On November 19, 1960 at St. Matthew Co-Cathedral Church in South Bend, IN, David’s life was enriched marring Arlene Kay Varga. They were blessed with three children, Michael, Marci, and Mitchell. David shared and passed on his love of Corvettes to his family. With the children in the coupe, he and Arlene enjoyed participating in auto cross, road rallies, and car shows. David and Arlene belonged to the Minnesota Historical Antique Car Club, SCCA Club of America, Cedar Rapids Corvette Club, Nebraska Corvette Club, Car Nuts of Owatonna MN, River Bend Antique Car Club, NCRS and the Classic Corvettes of Minnesota. Their Corvette just turned 50 years old on June 3.
David will be forever missed and loved by wife of 55 years, Arlene; children, Michael (Bernie) Martin, Marci (Bill Towner) Martin, Mitchell Martin; grandchildren, Kristen (Stuart) Poole, Theo Towner, Kefelen Martin; niece, Vicki Sontheim; other relatives and friends.
Preceded in death by David’s parents, Vernon and Florence and sister, Sharon Thompson.
