Thomas C. Martin

Thomas Clarke Martin of Fountain Hills – Jan. 21, 1930 – April 30, 2014.

Tom excelled at living, joining, and singing tenor in three local church choirs as well as the Fountain Hills Community Chorus, who dubbed him one of their more colorful tenors, for over 10 years.

He and friend Bud Fuls made up the popular duo of “The Everly After Brothers,” where they brought song and communion services to the residents of Fountain View Village in the Assisted Living Chapel every month.

Tom loved playing golf if the day ended in Y as a charter member of The Fountain Hills Bogey Boys and feeding the homeless veterans in Phoenix every week with the help of the Starbucks Corporation. His signature look on Sunday was always a suit and tie – in case his mother was watching.

Tom Martin believed that you made two blades of grass grow where you found one. Tom retired from Commerce Bank, NA in New Jersey in 1995, when he moved to Charlottesville, Va., where he farmed, evangelized, golfed and sang throughout Virginia with the “Faithful Followers Quartet.”

Prior to his career at Commerce Bank, Tom was president and CEO of Kennedy Mortgage Co., and his company launched the first 235 HUD lending program for low-income families throughout the country.

Martin was an economist and graduate of Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Va. He was a decorated veteran and paratrooper during the Korean Conflict.

Thomas Clarke Martin, at the age of 84, was surrounded by his loving family as he quietly passed on April 30, 2014, at his home in Fountain Hills.

Tom leaves behind wife, Theresa Martin of Fountain Hills; four sons: Thomas Clarke Martin Jr., of Haddonfield, N.J., Patrick Martin of Cherry Hill, N.J., James Payne Martin (wife Nancy) of Fisher, Ind., and Michael White (wife Linda) of Fountain Hills; one daughter, Michelle Davis (husband Glenn) of Pitman, N.J.; six grandchildren, Jessica Martin (Chris Koelsch) of Haddonfield, N.J., Eva Santeford (husband Edward) of Litchfield Park, Ariz., Glenn Davis Jr. of Pitman, N.J., James, Luke, and Linnea Martin of Fisher, Ind.; and three great-grandchildren: Kaycie Koelsch, Paisley Santeford and Oliver Santeford; one sister, Carroll Hedrick (husband Dick), of Prince George, Va. His soul joins peacefully at rest with his brother, James “Jassy” Martin; son, Christopher Martin; and great-grandson, Benjamin Santeford.

Tom’s joyous smile, strong and happy spirit will be missed by all.

Service for Tom will be held on Saturday, May 10, at the Fountain Hills Presbyterian Church, 13001 N. Fountain Hills Blvd., at 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Fountain Hills Presbyterian Church.