Gerald Martin, 70, Williston, died on Sunday morning, Nov. 1, 2009, Bethel Lutheran Nursing Home, Williston. His funeral services are at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 6, 2009, at the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Williston. The Rev. Dennis Schafer is officiating. Interment is at the Riverview Cemetery. Friends are welcome to leave condolences and sign an online guest register at www.fulkersons.com.

Gerald Henry Martin was born on Feb. 3, 1939, at Breckenridge, Minn., to Henry and Josephine (Lizotte) Martin. The family lived in Wahpeton for a time before moving to a farm near Dunseith.

Gerald attended rural schools in the area and later attended Bottineau High School.

At the age of 17, Gerald enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served from 1956 until 1960 and again from 1962 until the end of 1964. He went on two Mediterranean cruises and was stationed mainly at Norfolk,Va.

After serving in the Navy, he returned to Bottineau, where he drove truck for a time and then worked in the oilfields until going to plumbing school at Wahpeton in 1968. After finishing school, he began working for Selid Plumbing and Heating, Williston, where he worked until his retirement in 2001, but continued to work summers there.

On Dec. 23, 1963, Gerald was united in marriage to Loni Holdaas at Bottineau. They lived in Bottineau until moving to Williston in 1968, where they have resided since.

From 1976 to 1991, he was a member of the North Dakota National Guard. He served his country in this way, doing summer camps in Minnesota, Maine, Honduras and Jamaica.

He retired from the National Guard in 1991 but was always a soldier at heart.

Left to mourn his passing are his wife, Loni, Williston; daughters, Renae (Les) Hanson, Williston and Patty (Jody) Monson, Billings; granddaughters, Amanda Hanson, Williston and Taylor Monson, Billings; grandsons, Jordan Hanson, Williston and Blair Monson, Billings; sister, Janie (Johnny) Andreoff, Rockford, Minn.; brother, Dan (Karen) Martin, Brooklyn Park, Minn., and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Gerald was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Josephine; stepfather, Harold Lee; grandparents, Stephen and Adele Lizotte and Rupert and Jessie Martin and several aunts and uncles.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be given to the Benedictine Living Center, 609 Fourth Ave. N.E., Garrison, N.D., 58540, who treated us so kindly while Gerald was a patient there, or to the charity of choice.

Friends may call at the Fulkerson Funeral Home, Williston on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and an hour prior to services at the church on Friday.