Earl Keith Martin

Due to COVID-19 the following restrictions apply: A gathering of only 10 people or less in the cemetery is allowed. The family and the funeral home thank you for your cooperation and understanding during this difficult time.

Earl Keith Martin, departed this life at his home in Swink, CO on April 23, 2020, after a long illness at 92 years of age, where he had lived since 1969. He was born on May 5, 1927 to Estie Ray and Elsie Mamie (Young) Martin, at the family home, in Baca County near Lycan, CO.

Earl grew up working with his father Ray Martin and brother George Martin in Prowers County farming, drilling water wells, and working and breaking horses, south of Granada, CO. Earl enlisted in the Unites States Army and was sent to Ft. Sill, OK for basic training. He then was sent overseas during WW II to serve in Japan shortly after Hiroshima had been bombed. He served from 1945 to 1947 earning Rank Tech 5. After Earl returned home to Granada, he married Isabel Grace DuVall on December 20th, 1948 in Raton, NM. They then returned to Prowers County to begin their life together in Granada.

Earl was a very hard working man with a very generous giving heart. It was his nature to extend a helping hand to family and friends alike whenever he could. He had a vast amount of experience from years of working in drilling water wells, farming, ranching and also operating with his wife Isabel their own construction company doing excavation, trenching and similar work in several counties throughout Colorado. He had a wonderful ability to figure out in his mind and put to paper a way to solve any engineering problem even to the extent of designing and making tools with his lathe or other equipment to complete the project.

Dad had a wide variety of interests such as hunting, fishing, caring for animals and stock both cows and horses. He enjoyed mechanic work, operating heavy equipment, building projects and collecting antiques. Included in his collections were antique tools and hurricane lamps that brought back many memories for him. Dad witnessed a lot of things in this world in his 92 years. Dad’s joy in life was his wife Isabel and their family of children, grand and great grandchildren. All of which were taught how to play his favorite card game called Pitch when they all gathered at his house. He always enjoyed a good joke and laughter and watching rodeo events on television as he also had competed years ago and would say that’s not how they used to do things!

He had an excellent memory of the life events and history of Baca and Prowers counties and the residents there at the time. We truly enjoyed him telling about his life. He got a great deal of pleasure in later years making trips with his best friend which also was his brother-in-law, Frank DuVall of Granada, by traveling out south of Holly and Granada reminiscing about the years gone by. Talking about where the freight wagons stopped on their way out of Holly overnight with their supplies, where his father homesteaded, the floods, the dustbowl, and many, many more stories.

Earl is survived by his children, Louis K. (Francie) Martin of Swink; Robert (Cheryl) Martin of Rocky Ford; Patricia L. Martin of Colorado City; son-in-law, Fred Gronemeyer of Swink; six grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and five great, great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Isabel G. Martin and their daughter, Shirley G. Gronemeyer; parents, Ray and Elsie Martin; stepmother, Irma E. Martin; brothers, George (Eva) Martin and Billy Jack (Shirley) Martin; sisters, Geraldine (Bill) Thompson, Evelyn (Lowell) Bond and Wilma Martin.

A graveside service will be held on Thursday, April 30, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at the Hillside Cemetery in Granada with Pastor Ian Blacker of the Lamar Christian Church officiating.

The family request in lieu of flower donations can be made to the Hospice of your choice direct or through the funeral home.

Online condolences may be made at www.PeacockFH.com. Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home & Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.