Lee William Marten, 64

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Lee William Marten, 64, of Raymond, died at 8:35 a.m. Saturday, July 13, 2013, at his home in rural Waggoner after a struggle with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 18, 2013, at St. Raymond’s Catholic Church with Christian burial at St. Raymond’s Catholic Cemetery.  The Rev. Fr. Gerald Bunse will officiate.

Visitation will be held 4 until 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 17, at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Raymond. Hough Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Mr. Marten was a lifelong farmer, having been raised on a dairy farm. He graduated from Lincolnwood High School in 1966 and from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with a bachelor of science degree in agricultural education in 1970. After one year spent teaching high school agriculture in Athens, he started farming with his brother, Carl, growing crops and raising hogs.

He served as a director for 16 years on the Rural Electric Convenience Cooperative board,  was the president and a Zanesville Township board member for the Montgomery County Farm Bureau, served on the Panhandle Community Unit School District Board for 12 years, and also served on the St. Isidore’s School Board.

Mr. Marten was a devoted Catholic, serving on the Diocesan Finance Council, as the chairman for the Litchfield Deanery Pastoral Council and as a trustee for St. Raymond’s Parish. He taught high school and junior high school religion at St. Raymond’s and often participated in the 24-hour Eucharistic adoration.

He was an avid collector of religious material such as books and videos always with the spirit of being able to share them with others.  He also helped maintain the historic Our Lady of the Highways Shrine along Route 66 established by his older sister Loretta on their farm in 1959.

His memberships included being a 3rd Degree Knight of Columbus, lifetime FFA Alumni, Illinois and Montgomery County Farm Bureau, and the Illinois Route 66 Association.

He loved to travel and was especially fond of Alaska and grateful to be able to make the journey after suffering a stroke. His 35th wedding anniversary would have been July 15.

Surviving are wife, Mary (DeBarr) Marten; children, Ellen Marten of Springfield, Emily (husband Peter) Stork of Crown Point, IN, and Thomas Marten of Raymond; one granddaughter, Eleanor Stork; a sister Jane (husband Larry) Hockett of Springfield; four brothers, Joe (wife Barbara) Marten and Tony (wife Paulette) Marten, both of Litchfield, and Raymond (wife Debbie) Marten and Carl (wife Marlene) Marten, both of Raymond; a sister-in-law, Judy Marten of West Lafayette, IN; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Ruth (Boehler) Marten; a brother, John Marten; and a sister, Loretta Ludek.

Memorials may be made to the Panhandle Food Pantry in Raymond or Covenant Network of St. Louis.