Dr. Charles "Bob" Martin, Dvm

Dr. Charles Bob Martin was a dedicated and compassionate veterinarian. Beyond this distinction, however, he was a man of integrity and honesty; his strong sense of right and wrong made lasting and positive impressions on all the people he came in contact with. Family was the most important part of Bobs life; the outdoors was a close second. Whether he was fishing, hunting, golfing, traveling Bob was truly at home among nature. The stock market crash would forever mark 1929 as the year the Great Depression began. For Charles W. and Bertha (Stevens) Martin of Greenville, Michigan, it was the year they welcomed the birth of their first child, son Charles Robert Martin, on November 2, 1929. He was later joined by three younger siblings, Marilyn, Bruce and Tom, who rounded out the Martin household with four children. Bob, as he was called, grew up in and around Muskegon, Michigan, where his father worked as a Vice President at the Norge Plant. The family lived for a time on Mona Lake, and it was here Bob found his love of fishing. He would spend hours just practicing casting, and couldnt wait to get back out and see if he had improved. Eventually, his family moved to a house on the corner of Lemuel and Summit in Muskegon Heights, but this didnt stop Bob from jumping on his bike, gathering his friends and heading to one of their favorite watering holes to fish. He also went duck hunting when in season. As a teenager, Bob came to enjoy the game of golf too, a sport that brought him pleasure all his life. After graduating from Muskegon Heights High School in 1947, Bob went on to attend classes at Muskegon Junior College, while also working as a draftsman at Norge Plant. After a year, Bob followed the same patriotic calling of other young men of the time, and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, proudly serving his country during the Korean Conflict. He continued to work as a draftsman in the service, and while stationed in Japan, he got a chance to do some duck hunting and golfing too. Upon his honorable discharge, Bob returned home to Muskegon and enrolled in classes at the University of Michigan in the Wildlife Management Program. It wasnt long before Bob met the love of his life, Jacquelyne A. Ortquist, who was a friend of his sister Marilyn. Jackie was still in high school at the time, but this didnt stop Bob from asking her out on a date. As fate would have it, the two fell in love and after Jackie graduated from high school, they were happily married on June 18, 1954. By this time, Bob had been at U of M for a year, and shortly after marrying, he changed his major to Veterinary Medicine and transferred to Michigan State University. Bob and Jackie then made their home in Lansing for the duration of his schooling. They then lived in Detroit for 2 years while Bob worked for a Veterinary Clinic. It was during this time that the couple delighted in welcoming the birth of their daughter, Michelle, in 1958. Once Bob had completed his schooling and intern training, the family of three moved back to the Muskegon area, settling in Norton Shores. Bob then opened his own practice called The Glen Park Animal Hospital, and for over 37 years, he tenderly and compassionately cared for beloved pets and animals of all kind. Bob was known in his community as an honorable man, and because of this, he was well respected by everyone. But Bobs life was so much fuller than just his career. He was a man of many passions, hobbies and loves. He liked to keep his life simple, with his family at the center and his hunting and fishing just a little off to the side. In fact, he was the happiest when he could combine his two loves family and fishing (or hunting)! His daughter Michelle accompanied him on several fishing trips, which made for many wonderful father/daughter memories. Being an avid fly fisherman, it was only natural that Bob eventually bought a cabin on Pere Marquette River near Ludington, which became like his second home. Bob also enjoyed annual pheasant hunting trips to South Dakota, as well as other trips to Wyoming, Montana and Colorado. Both Bob and Jackie loved to travel, and when Bob wasnt out communing with nature, they enjoyed memorable trips together to Alaska, Hawaii, Scandinavia and England. Aside from a fishing rod or gun, Bob also had putters and drivers in his arsenal of outdoor toys. He greatly enjoyed golfing whenever possible. He and Jackie played together for many years; in fact, Bob got her a set of clubs as a wedding gift. They were members of several area golf clubs over the years, and were presently 12-year members at Old Channel Trail in Montague. Bob was a past president and long time member of the Muskegon Exchange Club, a member the Michigan Wild Turkey Hunters Association and several other outdoorsman clubs and associations. He also attended Lebanon Lutheran Church with Jackie. Being a true outdoorsman, Bob had many great stories of his adventures (and mishaps) in the great outdoors, and when sharing them with others, he had a way of captivating everyones attention. He wrote up several of these stories, which were published in the Michigan Outdoors magazine, among other publications. A few years ago, Bob used his voice in a very different way when he surprised his daughter Michelle when he sang at her wedding! Last week, Bob and his dog Gracie were up at the cabin for the summer caddis hatch and doing some fly fishing in the evening. Bob died here doing what he loved! Dr. Charles R. "Bob" Martin, DVM, age 82, died on Thursday, June 14, 2012. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Jacquelyne; daughter, Michelle (Daniel) Martin-Mills of N. Muskegon; sister, Marilyn (Vern) Phelps of Grand Rapids; brothers, Bruce (Judy) Martin of KY, Tom (Beth) Martin of CO; in-laws, Dick (Caty) Ortquist of OH, Sharon (Dick) Ward of Muskegon; many nieces & nephews. A memorial service will be held on Friday, June 22, at 11:00 a.m. with visitation 1 hour prior to the service at the Clock Life Story Funeral Home - Muskegon with Rev. Doug Ogden officiating. Memorial contributions may be made to the Lebanon Lutheran Memorial Fund or Child Abuse Council. Please visit Bobs personal memory page at www.clockfuneralhome.com, where you may share a memory and sign the online guest book.