David S. Martin, 72, of Middlebury, passed away on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at his residence surrounded by his loving family. He was born on December 13, 1950, in Wolf Lake, IN to the late Vernon and Vada (Hostetler) Martin.

David is survived by his wife of 47 years, Marilyn Martin; children, Melissa (David O'Neill) Baker, Michelle Jones, Melinda Martin, and David M. (Marianna) Martin; grandchildren, Brayden, Elijah, Elayna, Timothy, Bria, Aramaya, Amos, Danika; brother, Robert (Lenore) Martin, and sisters, Rosemary Martin and Valores Smith; and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents and son-in-law, Timothy Jones.

In accordance with David's wishes, cremation was chosen. Family and friends are called to gather for visitation on Thursday, January 5, 2023, from 10 to 11 a.m. A celebration of life service will follow at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Jeremy Sarber officiating. Guests are kindly asked to dress casually wearing comfy jeans or, if preferred, to wear a Hawaiian floral shirt in David's honor. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Stop Soldier Suicide, P.O. Box 110605, Durham, NC 27709 or donate online at https://stopsoldiersuicide.org/donate

David was a kind and intelligent man who worked for several companies, including International Trucking Services, Cummins Inc., and Cardinal Buses Inc. He married the love of his life, Marilyn Smothers, on March 21, 1975, during the first beautiful day of Spring. They had been together two years prior to that and have since then enjoyed each day by each other's side. With his wife, he cherished the days they would spend together on the beach at the Gulf of Mexico.

He enjoyed traveling with his family from time to time. David loved the New Orleans Trip he took recently with his daughter and grandchildren, spending a beautiful Christmas in 2016 on the beach in Alabama, and attending the Aviation Challenge Space Camp Top Gun award ceremony in Alabama for his grandchild. He was an amazing cook who could make fabulous dishes at the drop of a hat, his most famous and beloved dish being shrimp and cheesy grits.

David did his best to attend all his grandchildren's sporting events and enjoyed cheering them on. He was always so proud of all of his children's and grandchildren's many accomplishments. David also cheered on his favorite football team, the Alabama Crimson Tide, whenever he had the chance to catch a game on T.V. He will be greatly missed by his loving family and many friends.

Stop Soldier Suicide
P.O. Box 110605, Durham NC 27709
Tel: 1-844-907-1342
Web: https://stopsoldiersuicide.org/donate