Willard (Will) Albert Martin, Jr.

Willard (Will) Albert Martin, Jr., loving husband for 55 years to Dora, died peacefully at his home in El Dorado Hills on October 23, 2023, at the age of 79, after a long illness. Will was born in San Jose, California in 1944 to Willard and Irma Martin. Will graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School, Class of 1961. While in high school, Will was a member of the Santa Clara Valley Youth Band, where he played the clarinet, saxophone, and bass clarinet, and performed at the Hollywood Bowl and Disneyland.  Will served honorably in the United States Air Force from 1962 to 1966 and was stationed at Little Rock, Arkansas, and Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Within a week after his release from duty, Will met Dora, and they married in 1968.  Just a few months after their marriage, Will joined the San Jose Police Department where he was an officer for sixteen years.  While on the police force, Will became a certified EMT, a training officer, and an instructor at the police academy. Will continued with his education, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Law Enforcement from San Jose State University and a Masters in Public Administration from Golden Gate University.  Will worked for a decade at IBM in San Jose in their security department where he also became a certified industrial firefighter.  Will and Dora moved from San Jose to El Dorado Hills in 1994 where Will continued to work in security for an additional twenty years for companies in the Sacramento area.

In his retirement, Will was an active member of his church community, a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus, and a member of American Legion Post 119. He loved spending time with his immediate and extended family, traveling, camping, boating, and entertaining. He found a love of writing with a Veterans Writing Group and published several personal short stories and a memoir, Willard’s Life in Short Stories.

Will is survived by his wife, Dora, and 3 children and their spouses, Sheila Martin Fitton (Jay), Quin Martin (Nichole), Nica Tahsequah (Meech), and nine grandchildren, William, Catherine, Joshua, Noah, Thomas, Liberty, Isabella, Levi, and Luke.  Will is also survived by his brother Robert Martin, Robert’s wife Moira, and their son Keith.  He will be dearly missed.

A Vigil and Rosary will be held on Thursday, November 16th from 7-8 p.m. at Holy Trinity Parish in El Dorado Hills. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, November 17th at 11 a.m. at Holy Trinity Parish in El Dorado Hills. A reception will immediately follow the Mass at Holy Trinity Parish.

Address: Holy Trinity Parish, 3111 Tierra de Dios Drive, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762

A Committal Service with Military Honors will be held on Tuesday, December 5, 2023 at 11:00 am at Oak Hill Memorial Park, 300 Curtner Avenue, San Jose, CA 95125.

In place of flowers, Will requested donations be made to Mother Theresa Maternity Home at 3122 Sacramento St., Placerville, CA 95667; phone (530) 295-8006.  Website: https://motherteresamaternityhome.com/volunteer/donations/