SALEM, Ohio — David Lee Martig, age 80, of Salem, Ohio passed away peacefully on Oct. 24, surrounded by his family.
David was born on Aug. 27, 1943, to Samuel Paul and Kathryn May (Mountz) Martig of Salem, Ohio.
He graduated in 1961 from West Branch High School and became a third-generation dairy farmer. He met Dale Ann Paxson and they married on January 20, 1968, and went on to raise four children and create a life on the farm.
In the late 1970s, he and his wife purchased the family farm from his parents. Over the years, they expanded and grew the farm by purchasing additional land and adding and remodeling the facilities. In 2009, they became partners with their son by creating M & M Dairy Farms. In 2012, he officially retired from the operation.
David had a passion for growing crops, especially corn. This led him to become a longtime Pioneer Seed salesman, where he enjoyed the relationships he built with other farmers.
As an alumnus of Goshen Good Growers 4-H Club, he supported and encouraged his children through their 4-H years. He had a lifelong love of the Canfield Fair, working for many years as a people mover and attending the fair year after year.
He was involved with many activities in his lifetime, such as Tri-County Milk Cooperative, United Young Farmers and was a lifelong Farm Bureau member. He was most notably involved in the Goshen Center Ruritan Club, where he was a distinguished member, and he enjoyed helping with the tractor pulls. He held numerous offices within the club and helped with many community service projects.
David and Dale Ann enjoyed traveling. Some of their trips included Hawaii, California and the Panama Canal. Later in life, they enjoyed spending their winters in Florida.
David loved to talk to anyone anywhere about farming.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 55 years Dale Ann Martig; his sister Linda (Richard) Sartwell, of Newberg, Oregon; his brother Keith (Corrine) Martig, of Salem; his children Julie Martig, of Minerva; Crist (Yenere) Martig, of Salem; Susan Martig, of Chicago, Illinois; Laura Martig, of Salem; his grandchildren Kathryn (Kirk Massey) Blackburn, of Grand Junction, Michigan; Zach Norris; Christian, Isabel and Maggie Martig; nieces and nephews scattered across the country.
Friends and family gathered to pay their respects on Oct. 29 at Stark Memorial in Salem and Oct. 30 at Bunker Hill United Methodist Church in Beloit. Funeral services were held Oct. 30 at Bunker Hill United Methodist Church.
Donations can be made on David’s behalf to the Goshen Center Ruritan Club, notated for the new playground project, and sent to 18300 Western Reserve Rd., North Benton, Ohio 44449.
