From the 1973 yearbook	From the 1986 yearbook

The officers and members of the Jacksonville Retired Firefighter Association are saddened to report that

Retired JFRD Rescue Lieutenant Joe M. Martin passed away on Tuesday, October 03, 2023.

Joseph Michael Martin, age 79, born June 10, 1944, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family after a courageous battle with CNS Lymphoma. Joe was born on June 10th , 1944 in New York City to Ms. Irene Coyne Martin and spent his childhood in Brooklyn before moving to Bridgeport, CT.

At 17 yrs, he packed up his shoe box and headed to Florida where he joined the United States Navy and traveled the world. He then transferred to the United States Coast Guard, patrolling the south Florida coast. After his stint in the military, he settled in Jacksonville, Fl with Jacksonville Fire and Rescue. During his time in fire/rescue, he had the frequent opportunity to call for
helicopter transport and fell in love and married a certain flight nurse, Sharen Dean Martin. They started their 38yr. marriage together putting the finishing touches on a 40ft. Irwin sailboat whose hull had pulled away from the mold during construction. Joe had purchased the hull and had been building the boat for quite some time when they met.

After the birth of their first child, they decided Jacksonville was getting too big and too crowded. They packed up the sailboat and went on several short trips north before anchoring in Walberg Creek and St. Catherine’s Sound. The area was beautiful and they quickly realized they had found their new home. Joe retired from the fire department, land was purchased and a house was built in Sunbury, Ga.

The only problem in the grand scheme of things was the area had no fire protection. So, he went back to Jacksonville, purchased two surplus fire trucks, sold one and used the remaining one and the funds from the sale to launch Sunbury Fire Department. The department grew rapidly over the years to include two fire stations, many volunteers, ladder trucks, pumpers, special operations trucks, tankers, and Joe’s favorite, his rescue boat. He even had to change the name to Eastern District Fire Rescue.

Joe eventually gave fire services to the county and retired again to spend time with his other hobbies – restoring antique cars and trucks or playing with his HO model railroad that had grown over the years to a whopping 1500 ft. of track. Joe will be remembered for his sweet, easy going, quiet demeanor that, once you got him talking, turned into tales of extraordinary experiences and adventures. He was also a true Jack-of-all-trades and relished a challenge. If he couldn’t fix it, it probably couldn’t be fixed.

He is survived by his wife, Sharen and two sons, Nicholas (fiancé, Tori) Guyton, Ga and Andrew, Milledgeville, Ga. two daughters, Dwana (Jeff) Florahome, FL and Melody (Sonny) Jacksonville, Fl. three grandchildren Valerie, Chris and Todd and three great grandchildren, Justin, Johnathon and Joshua.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, October 7th at 11:00 at Richmond Hill Funeral Home, Richmond Hill, Ga.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks for all the love and support provided to us during this trying time by
Margaret Olsen and the Parrish family – Grady, Judy, and Robbie.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society or Hospice
Savannah.

Joe on left with Nick Tison

Joe Piloting the fire boat

Joe on the right with Miller Norton, a friend from JFRD

Apparatus from the Eastern District Fire Department