Celebration of Life & Legacy: Howitt Cecil Martin
Martin Family,
Please join us in celebrating the Life and Legacy of our Patriarch Howitt Cecil Martin who passed away Sunday January 9th, 2022 at roughly 6:45am.
He was a man who truly loved Family. His bold personality and strong wit made him a great leader whose influence is undeniable.
Howitt Cecil Martin's life consisted of being a joy to whomever he was around. When you were with him there was always a project to complete and work to be done; building, creating and improving things.
Howitt was the 12th child of 17 children, born on, September 13, 1939, to the late Beatrice Tutt and Herbert Leslie Martin. Those who preceded him in death, his wife the late Velma Hodge-Martin, and son Rodney Cordell Martin, and daughter in law Marchale Graves-Martin and his brothers, Roy Martin, Hume Martin, Lorenzo Martin, Finis Martin, and Cornelius Martin; sisters Marjorie Martin, Gwendolyn Martin Jones-Brown, Viola Mapp, Ernestine Benning and Rosetta Ratchford. Howitt and his siblings were very close throughout their lives.
Howitt accepted Christ at an early age at Rhoades Chapel and later attended Wesley Chapel A.M.E. Church, serving as a Trustee Board member and Choir member. Later after moving with his family to Georgetown, Kentucky, he was baptized and attended Great Crossing Missionary Baptist Church.
Howitt was born and raised in Greenville, Kentucky, he attended Drakesboro Community High School, where he was Valedictorian-Class of 1956 and earned his Bachelor's Degree in 1962, from Kentucky State University. Howitt was an employee with Farmers Home Administration-US Department of Agriculture for 25 years. Howitt served as a member of Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc., the Scott County Planning Commission, Kiwanis Club-Scott County, former Scott County NAACP-President, and the State Committee Department of Agriculture. Howitt was awarded the Key to the City-Georgetown, Kentucky. Howitt, in 1992, was the first African American Business owner on Main Street in Georgetown, Kentucky, with opening T-Shirts Plus.
While attending Kentucky State University and working in the infirmary, Howitt met the love of his life Velma Hodge Martin, the 2 were married on June 1, 1962. and to this union was blessed with three children, Brian, Rodney and Dana.
Howitt loved his family! He loved to spend time with his grandchildren they were his world. He worked hard for his family, teaching and providing wisdom to his children. Howitt always wanted to see others do their best and succeed in life. A man with a big heart and he always loved to help others. As a young child, Howitt discovered a love of farming and working on his family's land, known as Martin Acres. His love and care of the land, which has been a part of the family’s legacy for generations, continued through-out Howitt’s entire life.
Left to cherish his precious memories are his children: Brian O. (Jinnifer) Martin, Dayton, Ohio, Dana Martin (Dedric) McGhee, Bartlett, Tennessee; grandchildren: Brian, John, Morgan, Madelyn, and Makenna; sisters: Unita Lawrence, Barbara Swain, Shirley McIntosh, all of Springfield, Ohio, Special care givers; Anna (Edmond) Drake, Louisville, Kentucky and Naomi Horton, Greenville, Kentucky. A host of nieces, nephews, cousins, sisters-in-law and brother-in-law: Janice Hodge, Van (Karolyn) Hodge, Larry (Charisse) Hodge, Louisville, Kentucky, Linda Hodge-Vernon, Clinton, Tennessee, Wanda Martin, Springfield, Ohio, and Gail Martin, Bowling Green, Kentucky. Supporting family and friends: special care givers, Brenda and Wilbur Hackett, Jr., Artis Greene, Lorenzo Drake, Howard Bailey, Matthew Shadwich
