Walter Dana Martin

Walter Dana Martin, Sr. passed away in Lebanon, New Hampshire on September 27, 2021. He was 78 years old. He was born on October 10, 1942 in Newburyport, MA, the son of Elizabeth Marie Martin. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Mrs. Juanita Martin, his brothers Edward, Robert and Wayne, his sisters Judy, Rosemary and Linda, his two daughters, Emily and Heidi, his sons Walter Jr., Andrew (and his partner Joshelyn) and Timothy (and his partner Noi), and one granddaughter, Ava. He was a devoted and loving husband, father, and grandfather.
In his younger days, Walter worked in the Newburyport area and was an avid volunteer fireman. Years after he last worked the pumps, he enthusiastically recalled the community created by all the work and events related to the group. After his mother passed away when he was in his early 20s, he moved to New Hampshire and began working at the First National Bank of New Hampshire in Lebanon where he met Juanita. He worked at the bank for more than two decades before moving on and starting a new career as a custodian at the Marion Cross School in Norwich, VT where he worked until his retirement. All of the children, teachers and other staff at the school made his job enjoyable and he enjoyed talking with and helping them on a daily basis. Indeed, years after he retired, he was always happy when he ran into someone he knew from the school so they could swap stories and personal updates.He was an avid researcher, especially in the area of genealogy. Over the years, he compiled enormous troves of records and research related to both his and Juanita's families; sometimes able to trace ancestors back centuries. Believing that history and the past were all important to keep alive, his genealogical pursuit was something he did with passion throughout his life, including helping others when they had questions about their own heritage or even showed a simple interest in the field. His one hope was that the data he collected and organized could be of use to others in the future who shared a similar interest and wanted to know more about their family background.
He was also an avid lover of the outdoors. Loving nothing more than a simple walk or looking out over a sunset on the Connecticut River from a self-landscaped private beach he spent years crafting at his home, getting fresh air and appreciating nature was always an integral part of who he was. Simple activities like mowing grass or tending plants were not chores as much as he saw them as opportunities to get out in the sun and get his hands in the dirt.
Traveling back to Newburyport for regular visits was always something he looked forward to. Even though many of the people and locations had changed over the years, he dearly loved connecting with friends and family who remained, and traversing the city, which all allowed him to relive many cherished memories from when he was younger.  It was there that he relished simple but memorable activities like doing family research at the local library, enjoying a freshly-caught seafood dinner from a local restaurant or strolling the extensive boardwalk along the ocean.  Despite the passing years and constant changes of life, it was clear that a part of him never left his ocean-side childhood home, and the obviously abundant happiness he got from each return trip showed that at least for fleeting moments it really was possible to go home again.Supporting a larger family is never easy, but he was always a hard worker, holding down multiple jobs for most of his adult life. He was also a fighter, battling a chronic lung illness for years and also overcame cancer that at one time 20 years ago left him with a prognosis of just months to live. His fighting spirit and positive attitude were all key in contributing to his victory.A private burial will be held on Tuesday, October 5th. He will be interred at the Highland Cemetery in Lyme, NH. In lieu of flowers, his family asks that charitable donations be made to the institution of the donor's choosing

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