Gary L. Marten

Gary L. Marten, 75, long time resident of Ganges Township, passed away Saturday, December 19, 2020 at his home. He was born March 30, 1945 to Leroy and Adeline (Leutt) Marten in Eldridge, Iowa. Gary graduated from North Scott High School in Eldridge with the Class of 1963. He later attended Iowa State University. Gary had served in the Peace Corps in Columbia.  He later worked as a recruiter for the Peace Corps where he met Judith Valliere at Michigan State University. They married on March 6, 1970 in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan. They shared 41 years in marriage before Judith’s death in 2011. In addition to being a farmer, a real estate agent in Fennville and Saugatuck, and a “do anything that Jon needed done at Clementine’s”, Gary was a security instructor at the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant with Burns Security. Gary loved gardening and loved the forest. He was an avid reader of non-fiction, which meant he knew enough about everything to always win at trivia games.  Gary was an exceptional man– kind and generous to a fault.  There are so many employees at Clems that he helped out; loaned them money, gave them rides to and from work, talked with them to try and help them work out tough situations in their lives.  He greeted everyone in the morning with an exuberant comment- “It’s a beautiful day” or “Have a great and wonderful day”.  Always, every time, every day…

He is preceded in death along with his wife and parents by a daughter – Vanessa Marten, sister – Sharon Marten-Hitchcock and grandchildren – Rachael, Jacob and Ellen Ruppert.

Gary is survived by his daughters – Melanie (Jon) Ruppert of South Haven and Mikala (Douglas) Evans of San Diego, California; siblings – Shirley (Eddie) Witt of DeWitt, Iowa, Deanna (Tom) Schemmel of Durant, Iowa, Lana (Evans) Waller of Bennett, Iowa, and Merlyn (Priscilla) Marten of Proctorville, Ohio; brother and sister in law, Charles and Evelyn Valliere of Port Charlotte, Florida; grandchildren – Kaitlynn and Danielle Evans, Rhys and Rafe Ruppert; and dear friend – Jackie Mortoff. Several nieces and nephews also survive.