Kenneth Gordon MARTIN

MARTIN, Lt. Col. Kenneth Gordon, B. Sc. (Eng) Sportsman, Soldier, Engineer, Teacher 1919 - 2008 Died peacefully March 1, 2008 at the Queensway-Carleton Hospital in Ottawa, of natural causes. Adoring husband of 67 years to Dorothy, beloved father to Rob and Brian, grandfather to Jennifer, Gillian, Caitlin and David-James, and great-grandfather to Owen, Kylie, and Lila. Having grown up in Kingston where he shone as a hockey player and scholar, he attended the Royal Military College in 1936, where he led his freshman class academically, and helped the College hockey team to a famous victory over the cadets of West Point. With the outbreak of war in 1939 he took a commission, and joined the First Canadian Division in Britain. While there, he followed his father's example from WWI, and fell in love with a young English WAAF, Dorothy Ashcroft. Acting swiftly, according to his favorite motto, Carpe Diem, he convinced her to marry him in 1941. He served with distinction as a communications engineer in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France and the Pacific, and following the war returned to Kingston to finish his Engineering studies at Queen's University, graduating in the famous class of Science 48 1/2. During postings as an army engineer in Kingston, Oakville and Ottawa, he also actively served his communities, tirelessly organizing and running minor hockey and minor baseball programmes. Retiring from the military with the rank of Lt. Colonel in 1971, he began teaching his passion, mathematics, to many fortunate students at Laurentian High School in Ottawa. Following this second career, he continued tutoring mathematics privately from his home in Kanata well into his eighties. Ken passed as he chose to live, gently, with dignity, and with as little fuss as possible. He was the embodiment of the RMC designation, Gentleman-Cadet, and he will be greatly missed by Dorothy and all of his loving family. Following his wishes, there will be no formal funeral, but his immediate family will gather for a private memorial celebration Published in the Ottawa Citizen on 3/3/2008