Clare L. Martin

Clare L. Martin, 96, of Walnut Creek, OH, died on November 5, 2018 at Walnut Hills.

Clare was born on January 19, 1922 in Alma, Michigan to Allen and Anna (Bauman) Snyder. After his parents’ deaths (his mother in 1925 and his father in 1927), he was adopted by his aunt and uncle, Simon and Lydia (Bauman) Martin and resided in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.

Following graduation from Goshen College in 1953 with a Bachelor of Divinity, Clare taught for 10 years in several one room school houses in Pennsylvania. He moved to Holmes County in 1963, where for over 40 years he served as a driver for the Amish. Driving provided Clare opportunities to travel to all but four of the 50 States and several Canadian Provinces.

Church work defined much of Clare’s life and interests. Clare was a member of Berlin Mennonite Church since 1966 and for many years was an active regular attendee at Dover Christian Fellowship in Dover, OH. Clare will be remembered for his keen memory, his love of reading, and most importantly his witness to the hope we can find through Jesus Christ.

Clare is preceded in death by his parents, Alan and Anna Snyder and his adoptive parents, Simon and Lydia Martin; sisters Violet (Martin) Ropp (Carlsbad, NM) and Marie Brubaker (Paraguay); brother Royal Snyder (Vestaburg, MI); step brothers James Martin (Uruguay) and Paul Martin (Kitchener, ON); and step-sister Elsie Gingerich (Zurich, ON). He is survived by step-brother Laurence Martin (Kitchener, ON); step-sister Lois Witmer (Cambridge, ON); and half-sister Eleanor Kaufmann (Columbia, PA).

A memorial service celebrating Clare’s life will be held on December 8 at 11 AM at Berlin Mennonite Church, 4718 US 62, Berlin, OH 44610. Pastor Walt Morton will officiate with Pastor Jeff Hochstetler giving the message. Following the service there will be a tree planting at the church in Clare’s memory, concluding with a fellowship meal and a time of sharing. In lieu of flowers, please honor Clare by giving to the Berlin Mennonite Church Missions fund and/ or the Heralds of Hope Radio Program in Breezewood, PA.

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