Marjorie E. Martin

Marjorie Ellen Martin passed peacefully at home on February 5, 2026. She was surrounded by her loving family, with her devoted husband holding her hand.

She was born in 1939 in Jackson, Ohio, to Walter L. Hess and Myrtle M. Hess. She married the love of her life, Leroy Martin, in 1961, and together they built a life centered on family, service, and steadfast devotion.

Marjorie’s greatest joy was her family. She and Leroy raised four children — Kenneth, Ellen, Jeffrey (deceased, survived by Cecilia), and Ronald (Angie). She held deep love for her daughters-in-law, Cecilia Martin and Angie Martin, and she delighted in her grandchildren Courtney Zerbe (and great-granddaughter Zoe Zerbe), Yvonne McArthur, and Gracie Martin. Watching her family grow was one of her life’s sweetest blessings.

A graduate of Akron Central High School and The University of Akron, Marjorie earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and was a member of Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority. She was an active and dedicated member of the Ohio District of Kiwanis and proudly served as First Lady during Leroy Martin’s term as Ohio District Governor from 2007–2008.

That year of service marked a profound personal transformation for Marjorie. As she traveled from club to club alongside her husband, she stepped into a new confidence and voice. Always quiet and reserved, she found the courage to stand before large audiences and deliver motivational messages with grace and warmth.

Marjorie believed deeply in the power of positive thinking and in treating every person she met with kindness. She had a gift for noticing the goodness in small, everyday moments that others might overlook. Through both her words and her actions, she quietly brightened the lives of those around her, reminding family and friends alike that even small acts of goodness can make the world better.

She was a loving and inspiring grandmother and the kind of presence that made others feel calmer simply by being near her. The lessons she lived by — to stay positive, be kind, and appreciate life’s simple blessings — remain a lasting part of the legacy she leaves behind.

Marjorie will be remembered for her kindness, her gentle spirit, and the steady love she extended to family and friends. Her legacy lives on in the family she cherished and the many lives she touched through service, encouragement, and quiet strength.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to ODKF.org in memory of Marge.

A memorial service will be announced soon.