Lester E. Martin Sr.

Lifespan: c. 1926 – between 1987 and 2011 (exact dates unknown)

Summary

Born around 1926 in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin — middle child of Gerald Martin Sr. and Hazel Mielke. Age 5 when his father Gerald died of a two-month illness in June 1931. Raised by Hazel and (after her 1932 remarriage) stepfather Clarence Lau. Married Lila Rickel. Settled in Townsend, Oconto County, Wisconsin, where he raised at least eight children. Living in Townsend as of 1987 (per Hazel’s obituary). Deceased before April 2011 (preceded son Lester F. Jr. in death).

Relationship to Don

Great-uncle — brother of Don’s grandmother Helen M. Martin.

Relationships

• Father: Gerald Martin Sr. (1903–1931) — died when Lester was 5
• Mother: Hazel P. Mielke (1902–1987) — later remarried Clarence Lau (1932)
• Stepfather: Clarence Lau
• Half-siblings (Lau): JoAnn (m. Schabelle), Diane (m. Roger Burt)
• Sisters (full): Helen M. Martin (1924–1974) — Don’s grandmother
• Brother (full): Gerald Martin Jr. (c. Apr 1931–?) — living in New Franken, WI (1987)
• Wife: Lila Rickel
• Children: (all per Lester F. Jr.’s 2011 obituary)
  • Lester F. Martin Jr. (1948–2011) — m. Cathy Petty
  • Carol (m. Jerry Wilmet)
  • Wendy (m. Randy Braun)
  • Mary Kay (m. Bob Raasch)
  • Charles (m. Betty)
  • Gary (m. Wendy)
  • Dan (m. Marie)
  • Paul

Sources

• Gerald Martin Sr.’s 1931 obituary (names “Lester age 5”)
• Hazel P. Lau’s 1987 obituary (names Lester living in Townsend, WI)
• Lester F. Martin Jr.’s 2011 obituary (names parents as “Lester E. and Lila (Rickel) Martin”; states Les was preceded in death by his parents)

Research Notes

• Middle initial: Existing records use “E.” Son’s obit also uses “E.” for father but “F.” for the Jr. — see lester-f-martin-jr.md for the discrepancy analysis. Best current call is that the father was Lester E.
• Death date: Unknown but bounded — alive in 1987, deceased by April 2011. Likely buried at Forest Home Cemetery, Townsend (where son Les Jr. was interred).
• Family size: Eight known children. A large Catholic-pattern family, though the religious affiliation by the next generation was evangelical Protestant — at least two of his children (Lester F. Jr. + family, Carol Wilmet + family) attended Central Assembly of God with the Krumpos family in the 1980s. Worth tracing how/when this branch moved from Christian Science (Hazel/Gerald Sr. era) to Assemblies of God.
• Wife Lila Rickel: Maiden name Rickel — surname not yet present in archive. Worth researching as a separate line.
• #research-target: Birth date, death date, marriage date to Lila, full obituary all pending.