Lewis Edward "Ed" Martin

Lewis Edward “Ed” Martin, 89, loving husband, wonderful father and beloved granddad went to his Heavenly Home on June 3, 2015. He was born January 19, 1926 in Durant, Oklahoma to Zearl Dean and Thelma Aloise (Smith) Martin. As a child his family moved to Rogers, Arkansas. He later moved to Shawnee, OK where he attended high school and was drafted into the United States Navy during WWII. He proudly served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Essex CV-9 in the Pacific, surviving attacks by Japanese Kamikaze aircraft and a fierce typhoon that nearly capsized the ship. After the war was won, he returned to Oklahoma and worked as a theater manager. On April 23, 1949 he married the love of his life, Carolyn Lou Tankersley. He then went to work for Phillips 66 as a pipeline welder. In 1967 he moved his family and all of their possessions to Anchorage, Alaska driving the very primitive Alcan Highway in a one and a half ton GMC truck and a Buick station wagon. He went into partnership with his brother, founding Cook Inlet Plumbing and Heating Co. during a tremendous construction boom in Anchorage. In 1976 the building of the Trans-Alaska pipeline commenced. Ed thrived while working on this expansive project, serving as a foreman of welding crews on the 800 mile long oil conduit. He also served as crew manager during the construction of both the northern pipeline terminal at Prudhoe Bay and the southern terminus at Valdez. He was a member of the Plumbers and Steamfitters Union out of Anchorage, Alaska. He retired from Alaska Mechanical in 1988. He greatly enjoyed hunting and fishing in Alaska and everywhere he went. He followed OU football with great enthusiasm since the days of Bud Wilkinson. He was a longtime member of Immanuel Baptist Church and a 32nd degree Mason of the Scottish Rite. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother: Melvin D. Martin. Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Carolyn, children: Marshall Martin of Tecumseh, Michele M. Lamb and husband Glen of Shawnee, and Mary S. Gollhardt and husband Brad of Middletown, DE, Sister: Margaret Thompson of Las Vegas, NV, Grandchildren: Lindsey Lamb, Erin Gollhardt, and Jamie Gollhardt, three nephews: Ted Thrasher of Angel Fire, NM, Kelly Thrasher of Montgomery, TX, and Kerry Martin of Garden Grove, CA, two nieces: Kay Norton of Las Vegas, NV, and Sherri Wolf of Tecumseh, also several cousins, other family and friends. Services will be 2:00 P.M. Friday, June 12, 2015 at Immanuel Baptist Church with Rev. Scott Schooler officiating. Burial will follow at Little Cemetery under the direction of Walker Funeral Service. Memorials may be made to Immanuel Baptist Church Building Fund or Wounded Warrior Project at woundedwarriorproject.org.