Robert Lawrence Marten

Robert Lawrence Marten, 90, of Bozeman, passed away on May 10, 2014. He was born in Kenilworth near Big Sandy, Montana to Lawrence and Grace E. (Maxwell) Marten on September 17, 1923. Bob’s early years were spent in the Kenilworth area where he attended Ferndale grade school. In 1935 he moved to the family farm southwest of Big Sandy and he finished his elementary schooling at the Mount Vernon School. He graduated from Big Sandy High School in 1941. He entered the Army on October 9, 1943 and served as an anti aircraft gunner in the Pacific on the Northern Solomon Islands and then in the Philippines. He received his honorable discharge on October 3, 1945. He returned to the farm. On April 2, 1948 he married Lilly M. Kiefer. In 1955 they moved to their own farm. Lilly passed away on June 30, 1977. On February 18, 1984 Bob married Mary Hermes Whitlatch. Mary passed away on June 1, 2005. Bob farmed and ranched all of his life. He was a member of the Big Sandy United Methodist Church and served on the Big Sandy Soil Conservation District and the Big Sandy Cemetery Board. When Bob would leave Big Sandy to stay with his daughter Doreen in Belgrade he would say he was going south for the winter. Bob was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Lilly; his wife, Mary; brothers; Richard and Roland and his sister-in-law Esther Marten and brother-in-law Howard Pfrimmer. He is survived by his sister, Veva Pfrimmer of Colbert, Washington; children Doreen (Stan) Olean of Belgrade, Montana, Carol (John) Willoughby of Boulder, Montana and Bob (Christine) Whitlatch of Glendive, Montana; seven grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 am, on Friday May 16, 2014 at the Big Sandy United Methodist Church in Big Sandy (Visitation the day of the funeral from 10:00 am to 10:45 am) followed by interment in the Big Sandy Cemetery.