Clifford Alexander Martin's Obituary
Clifford Alexander Martin passed away Tuesday from natural causes in the Palliative Care unit of St. Joseph's Hospital in Syracuse, NY. Cliff was born on January 30, 1919. After graduating from Phelps Union & Classical High School in 1936, he entered the Rochester Institute of Technology and became an Electrical Engineer. He began work at Eastman Kodak and in 1941 married Eleanore Prince. In 1944 he joined the U.S. Navy. After WWII he returned to Eastman Kodak moving up to engineering supervisor and retiring as Facilities Manager on April 1, 1979 after 42 years.
Cliff had many interests outside of work including wintering in Florida, cars, trucks, campers, motorhomes and especially boats topping the list. An avid boater for his entire life he owned a succession of boats and crossed Lake Ontario many times to Canada and the St. Lawrence from his summer home in Sodus Point, NY.
Cliff was pre-deceased by his wife Ellie in 1998 after 57 years. He was also pre-deceased by his sister Marion and brother Walter. After spending over 2 years alone he considered himself lucky to again find love and remarried in 2000. He spent the last 10 years living on the Oneida River where even when he wasn't using his current boat, there was always something interesting passing his dock during the boating season.
Cliff is survived by his wife Dorothy Rinefierd Martin, 2 step-sons Richard (Kathy) Rinefierd Jr. and Joseph (Victoria) Rinefierd, 2 step-daughters Anne (Don) Moretti and Cathy (Rick) DeBoer. He is also survived by his brother and sister-in-law Frederick and Betty Prince and sister-in-law Lillian Crowther along with numerous grand children, nieces and nephews most in the Syracuse and Rochester areas.
There will be no calling hours. A graveside service will be held on Friday at 11:00 am at the Irondequoit Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Durand United Church of Christ, 4225 Culver Road, Rochester, NY 14622, American Heart Association or the American Cancer Society.
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