Martens, Harry (1911-1990)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2 Aug 1990 p. 3

Birth date: 1911

text of obituary:

Administrator, Service Leader Dies

GOSHEN, IND. — Harry Martens, a longtime leader in Mennonite administration, relief and service ministries, died of a cerebral hemorrhage July 24 in a Sioux City, Iowa hospital. He was 78.

Martens attended the first anniversary gathering July 19 of survivors of the crash of United Airlines flight 232 at Sioux City. His wife, Olga died in that crash last year. At the gathering he met the plane’s pilot and other crew members.

Martens, a resident of Greencroft in Goshen, had traveled to Sioux city with his daughter and family, Delia and Russell Miller and their son Brian of Duluth, Minn. The Millers reported that Martens seemed tired by noon the day of the anniversary and suffered a stroke in his motel room that afternoon. He was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he seemed to improve until the time of his death.

HE WAS BORN Aug. 31, 1911, near Inman, Kan. He graduated from Buhler High School and from Bethel College, North Newton, in 1937. He married Olga Reimer on May 29, 1937, and about a week later began work as director of Bethel’s Student Office. He served the college more than 20 years as dean of labor, dean of students, business manager and assistant to the president.

Martens’ years at Bethel were interrupted by graduate study in personnel administration at Columbia University – he graduated in 1940 – and administrative assignments with Civilian Public Service, 1943-46.

As a result of the Martens’ visit to the CPS unit in Puerto Rico in 1946, the couple decided to give one-tenth of their time to service.

In 1952-53, Martens developed Mennonite Central Committee’s Pax programs in Germany, The Netherlands and Greece. In 1952 he also visited with government officials in Mexico to pave the way for MCC workers to help drought-stricken Old Colony Mennonites.

DURING THE summer of 1956, Martens and his family traveled across the United States on behalf of Mennonite Service Organization, which later became Mennonite Disaster Service under MCC.

In 1959 Martens became assistant to the president of Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Ind., and served 10 years in that position.

Martens also was MCC’s relief director in Jordan, 1967-69. In 1968 King Hussein decorated Martens for his work, and in 1969 the U.S. State Department awarded him the Lane Bryant Volunteer Award for his service in Jordan.

From 1970 to 1976 he was the “pocketbook paster [sic]” as Mennonite Foundation’s estate planning consultant and central regional manager. He and his wife also served with MCC in assignments in Bangladesh in 1972 and Brazil in 1974.

MARTENS continued to serve MBS as a consultant and in 1984 received a citation for 25 years of service. He continued to visit his office until his wife’s death.

Martens suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, but the effects of it seemed to have stabilized during the past year.

Survivors, in addition to his daughter, include a son, Duane of Denver; two brothers, Menno of Hutchinson, Kan., and John of Ocala, Fla.; two sisters, Lydia Schmidt of Buhler and Velma Enns of Guymon, Okla.; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held July 28 at the Chapel of the Sermon on the Mount at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart. A private burial service was held in Elkhart Cemetery.