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In memoriam: Missionary emeritus Earl Richard Martin, 1927-2024

Portrait of Earl Richard Martin. IMB Photo

Earl Richard Martin, an International Mission Board missionary emeritus who shared the gospel in East Africa and Switzerland, died Aug. 23, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas. He was 96.  

Earl was born Nov. 13, 1927, in Milton, Pennsylvania, to the late Luther H. Martin and Maude E. Martin. He graduated from Anacostia High School in Washington D.C., and received the Bachelor of Arts from Maryville College, Tennessee; the Bachelor of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas; the Master of Theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, North Carolina; and the Doctor of Philosophy from University of Nairobi, Kenya.  

At 12 years old, Earl came to faith in Christ. While seeking missionary appointment he wrote, “At a Presbyterian Youth Conference in 1944 my life and soul was gripped by God’s call to me for a personal commitment for lifetime service. I yielded to that call. My life since then has been a pursuit of Christ’s purpose and will as inspired in my original calling. I remember distinctly in a conference with a minister after making my decision that I mentioned that God may be calling me to be a foreign missionary. This consideration has never left me.”  

Earl met his wife Jane when they were 15 years old. They married on July 30, 1948, after five years of courtship. During college, through the influence of godly friends, his concern for international missions steadily grew. Just before attending seminary, Earl and Jane made public their decision to go as missionaries. After seminary, Earl pastored several churches in preparation for overseas service.  

In 1956, the International Mission Board appointed Earl and Jane missionaries to East Africa. Earl served as an evangelist, and as a professor and teacher at several seminaries and a university. They later served in Switzerland. The Martins served with the IMB for 30 years. 

He is survived by Jane, his wife of 76 years; four children, Judi Smalling, Susan Albright, Char Gray Sorensen (David), and Wayne (Shirley) Martin; 10 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. 

A memorial service was held Sep. 23, at Broadway Baptist Church.  

Read an obituary here.