Death of well-known Paarlite
2010-07-29
A WELL-KNOWN Paarlite, John Martin (74), passed away on Saturday at his home after an illness. He was diagnosed with cancer nine years ago and recently suffered a severe heart attack. Martin, who spent his life serving the community and the teaching profession, qualified as a teacher at the Athlone Training College. He furthered his studies in music at the Battswood Training School and the Bellville College of Education. Later he was also a music lecturer at the Athlone Teacher Training College. Because of his unstinting work as a teacher he was appointed as principal of the Nieuwe Drift Primary School, where he served until his retirement. Martin has been the church organist at the Parish of St Stephen for 58 years. He has also served as Vice-President Finances of the Cape Teachers’ Professional Association, and as member of the senate of Boland College. He was a founder member of the Frank Pietersen Music Centre, a committee member of the Union of Teachers’ Associations, Chairman of the Management Committee of Ikhwezi, and of the Paarl Land Claims Committee. In 1999 the Provincial Synod of the Anglican Church bestowed on him the highest church award, the Order of Simon of Cyrene, for distinguished lay service to the church and service to the community. He also received a mayoral award for community service as well as awards from the Lions and Rotary Clubs in Paarl. Martin was part of the Athlone Institute Trust until his last days. The Trust recently won the Gold Award of R40 000 from the Impumelelo Innovations Awards Trust. Martin’s first wife Pat Martin died early last year. Later he married Enith, with whom he spent his last days. He also leaves behind three sons (Kempton, Lyndon and Raoul), two daughters-in-law and five grandchildren. The funeral is today at 13:00 at St Stephen’s Church in New Orleans.
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