Frank Martin, Jr.

Funeral services for Mr. Frank Martin, Jr., 67, of Monroe, will be held on Saturday, July 22, 2017 at 12 noon in the chapel of Mulhearn Funeral Home in Monroe, LA.

Mr. Frank passed away at his home peacefully, Wednesday, July 12, 2017. He was a United States Air Force Sergeant during the Vietnam War and a retired oil tank superintendent for Hovensa on the Island of St. Croix.

Mr. Frank is survived by his wife, Gemma Martin; daughter, Erica; step-son, Jonathan and wife Wendy Levesque; his five grandchildren, Noah (13), Luke (10), Madisson (10), Hudson (5), and Zoe (2).

Mr. Frank was the type of man that made you feel loved no matter what. If you looked great, he told you that you looked great! If you looked terrible, he told you that you looked terrible…but always followed up with, “what’s going on, kiddo?” There was never any ‘sugar-coating’ with this man and you always knew where you stood, which the world needs more of.

Whether it was fishing, throwing horseshoes, mowing his yard, playing washers or sitting on the back porch, he always did it with passion. Mr. Frank always welcomed you with a firm handshake, a big hug and a kiss for the ladies. The love that he showed for others was one that you always felt was an underlying lesson. If you stuck around long enough, you noticed his positivity in life. Never letting you know if he felt bad and always said he would “be alright.”

Gemma, his wife, is a lady that one always refers to as “one of the nicest ladies you’ve ever met.’ Always smiling, always so thoughtful when it comes to doing something nice for those around her. She always had a full fridge for Mr. Frank; O’Doul’s beer, Jello Shots, Pall Mall cigarettes and a chair right next to his. A lot of years and a lot of memories…Together, those two were able to conquer the world. And that’s exactly what they did during his time on Earth.

Erica, his daughter is just like him and will be able to have many, many valuable lessons to teach to her children. She has always been able to count on that one man in her life that’s never let her down and now she will have her very on Angel watching over her. There was never a time that Mr. Frank reminded her of how much he loved her and even though she will have a huge void to be filled, she is very blessed to have had such an amazing father.

Through the years the friends that Mr. Frank made were those that lasted his entire lifetime. His friends came to visit him when his health was declining and they would sit outside and reminisce about the good old days. As time passed, they never gave up on their friend, sticking by his side until the very end. Friendships aren’t like that anymore these days…these men are the epitome of true friends and Mr. Frank showed them the type of love and care through the years, that they wanted to be there for him when he needed them the most.

Mr. Frank’s back porch is filled with love for the outdoors and when you look around, you see little signs of positive inspiration. On the day he passed, friends and family joined them to pay their respects. On the porch there is a small rock that says, “Perhaps they are not stars in the sky, but rather openings that our loved ones shine down to let us know they are happy.” Imagine Mr. Frank in Heaven with all of those that we have lost in the past, healthy, happy and never feeling an ounce of pain. How wonderful that must be!

As we get ready to say our goodbyes to Mr. Frank, we all want him to remember how much we love him and that no one will ever be able to fill his suspenders or his shoes, those awesome purple and gold crocs. He was such a special man and anyone that had the pleasure of knowing him got to know the definition of real: A real Fighter. A real Veteran. A real Man. A real Angel.

Final resting for Mr. Frank Martin will be at 12:00 PM Friday, July 28, 2017, at the VA National Military Cemetery in Pineville, LA, 209 East Shamrock Street.

Visitation will be Saturday, July 22nd from 11am-noon, before the memorial service.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that you make a donation to your local VFW chapter or local Legion.