Wendell Rudolph Martin, age 85, passed unexpectedly on October 30, 2026. He served in the United States Air Force from 1963-67 and did three tours of duty in Southeast Asia (Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam). Later he joined the United States Army Reserve (1975—1995) and served as a Drill Sergeant for ten of those years. He retired from the Army Reserve in 1996 as sergeant first class, E-7. He graduated from Radford High School in 1961, from VA Tech in 1975 (B.S.), and from VA Tech in 1985 (M.S.)
Fresh home from Vietnam in January 1967, he went to work at Poly-Scientific Corporation in Blacksburg, VA as a quality control inspector (2nd shift). And there he met Clara-Tibby Epperly, a slip-ring operator also on 2nd shift, working her way through Radford College. They connected—but from the beginning, he always called her Tip. They married later in 1967 and started their long life together.
He was employed at General Electric in Salem from 1968-43 1975, working on 2nd shift and attending classes at VT in the daytime. He taught Machine Shop and Industrial Arts for eleven years, the last ten at Martinsville High School and also taught night classes at Patrick-Henry Community College. During the summers, he worked for Martinsville Kiwanis Club as director of Camp Lee Ford, a summer camp for boys; and he always spent 2-4 weeks training new Army recruits at Fort Jackson or Fort Bragg. He spent his last working years with the North Carolina Department of Labor, the United States Post Office, and Frank Sale Realty.
One of his proudest accomplishments was building his home in Woolwine, VA in 1978. He designed it, he drew the plans, he did much of the work, and what he couldn’t do he contracted out. He also enlisted his young children in the work. His children honor him for the lessons he taught: Do the job, do it right, and put the tools away.
In his retirement years, Wendell became an avid collector of junk. He loved flea markets and yard sales and became well-known at all the area auction houses. His collections were a constant source of amazement (and amusement) to his family.
He is preceded in death by his mother Ivory Montgomery Andrews, his father Amos Rudolph Martin and his stepmother Gladys Pugh Martin.
Left to weep for him are his wife, Clara “Tip” Martin; his son, Mike and wife, Anne; his daughter, Wendy; his son, Adam and wife, Patrina; his grandson, Clinton; his granddaughter, Annie and husband, Daniel; his grandson, Jesse and fiancée, Sara; his grandson, Cory and wife, Alex; his granddaughter, Alyssa and husband, Jonathan; his great-grandchildren, Jaxson, Malach, Lily, Layla, and Kayce. He is also survived by his sister, Lisa and husband, Dale, niece, Jennifer and nephew, Andrew. Survivors also include Tip’s siblings (his in-laws), Doris and Frank Linkous, Randall and Dreama Epperly, Anna and Larry Renfroe, Marie and Bill Eanes, Reba and Mike Weeks, Mike Epperly, and Loretta and Raf Bedia. He will be sadly missed by Fouad Atway, his best Army buddy.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, November 4, 2026 in the Maberry Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Nathan Snider officiating. Interment will be held in Captain George Quesenberry Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 12:00 pm until 2:00 pm prior to the service at the funeral home.
Flowers will be appreciated, but donations may be made to
Smith River Rescue Squad, 9962 Woolwine Hwy, Woolwine, VA 24185 or Woolwine
Volunteer Fire Dept, 9912 Woolwine Hwy, Woolwine, VA 24185.
