Thomas W. Martin, Sr

EUTAWVILLE - Thomas Ward Martin Sr., 88, of Eutawville, entered into eternal rest on Saturday, March 1, 2014. The funeral will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Eutawville United Methodist Church with the Reverend Billy Lewis officiating and assisted by Dr. Bryan Fields and the Reverend Trey Rhodes. Burial will follow in the Bethlehem Southern Methodist Church Cemetery. Mr. Martin was born in Varnville, South Carolina, son of the late Walter Agnew Martin Sr. and Fredericka Estelle Thomas Martin. Mr. Martin's professional career included several professions including, teacher, naval ammunition worker, town mayor, and postmaster, and was recognized in Who's Who in South Carolina. Mr. Martin served in the Marine Corps as an aviation armorer during World War II and was a part of the ground crew of the Marianna Invasion having arrived five days after D-Day. After the war, Mr. Martin enrolled in the University of South Carolina and graduated in 1949 with an A.B .degree in Education. After graduation, he taught high school English, Science, and Math, and coached basketball at Grays High School and Pinewood High School. During the summer months when school was out, he worked at the naval ammunition depot in Charleston, South Carolina. In 1956 he assumed the job of postmaster for the U. S. Postal Service in Eutawville, where he remained for 24 years. Being the fourth generation on both sides of his family to live in Eutawville, Mr. Martin, felt it was his destiny to serve the town that nurtured his ancestors, and accepted the role as Mayor of Eutawville and served in this capacity for over 20 years. Growing up in the town of Eutawville, Mr. Martin explored his love for reading, woodcarving, writing, painting, and becoming involved in church work. Mr. Martin served as a member of the Eutawville Baptist and Methodist Churches in the roles of deacon, Sunday school teacher, choir member, and Treasurer. Although these roles in his church life were very fulfilling, his greatest rewards came through leading the Royal Ambassadors and the Boy Scouts of America Troop 319 at Eutawville for over 20 years. He taught these boys the many skills of woodcarving, camping, and athletics, but most of all he led so many of them to become saved by the Lord Jesus Christ. After his retirement he enjoyed studying his family ancestry and meeting many friends while working 16 years at the strawberry patch at St. Julian's Plantation with the Norris family. Survivors include his wife, Rosemary Dyal Martin of Eutawville; one son, Thomas Ward Martin Jr. of Elloree; one daughter, Cynthia Martin South-Ott of Elloree; two sisters, Caroline Couch of Moncks Corner and Mary Stoy of Hereford TX; one grandson, Warren Jeffery South (Maia) of Sydney Australia; stepgrandchilren Tammy Rose Parnell of Gilbert (John); Douglas Michael South Jr. (Sandy) of Tampa, Florida; Christopher Sheldon South (Tina) of Gilbert ; Leo Marshall Ott III (Tonya) of Vance; William Timothy Ott (Na) of Oklahoma; eight step great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held at Avinger Funeral Home, Holly Hill on Tuesday, March 4 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friends may call at other times at the homes of Rosemary Martin, 105 Martin Drive Eutawville and Cynthia South-Ott, 2403 Cleveland Street, Elloree. Memorials may be made to Bethlehem Southern Methodist Church Cemetery Fund, PO Box 595, Eutawville, SC 29059.