Martin Edward Eslinger

Martin Edward Eslinger was born Nov. 30, 1912, and passed away July 16, 2013, at Via Christi Village, Ponca City, Okla. Born and raised on a farm west of Virgil City, Mo., in Vernon County, Martin was next to the youngest in a family of seven children, son of Martin Edward Eslinger and Mary Kate Wilkerson Eslinger

Martin attended Oak Grove School District 128 his first 8 years, then Montevallo High School and finally graduating in 1931 from Nevada High School, Nevada, Mo. He also attended Southwest Teacher College in Springfield and Pittsburgh State College, Fry Aircraft School in Kansas City and special training in California at Vo Tech School on radios.

Radios always fascinated Martin and later they became his career as he repaired and serviced them. He got his first radio in 1928, saw his first TV in 1940 at the Worlds Fair in San Francisco and then in 1951, while working for Sears, he worked on his first TV. A member of the Farmers Market, Eslinger Gardens began in 1973. He raised a variety of produce from his garden

Martin Eslinger taught school in Vernon and Cedar counties, and worked at Ellis' Music Store before going to San Diego, Calif., to work as lead man on the assembly line in Building No. 4 at Consolidated Vultee Air Craft Corporation working on the B 24. Following World War II, he was a radio repairman for JR Townsend Co., then returning to Nevada where he retired from Sears after nearly 25 years of service as a service technician, due to failing eye sight.

Martin Edward Eslinger and the former Mildred Leota Smith were married Aug. 21, 1937, in Nevada. The couple resided at 512 South Cedar for more than 60 years. They welcomed their first child, Karen Sue Eslinger, in San Diego, in 1944 and later, Connie Lou Eslinger, in Nevada, in 1949.

Family was very important to Martin as he took his wife and children on numerous trips around the country, taught the girls how to fish, and later took his various grandchildren on vacation to Branson, Mo., fishing at his Bronough Lake property, or to spend a week at the grandparents' house.

Martin was proud to see his family succeed and celebrated not only his daughter's graduation from the PhD program at the University of Texas in Austin, but also attending his last grandchild's wedding in 2008, or holding each of his three great-granddaughters.

In November 2006, Martin and Mildred moved to an apartment at Via Christi Retirement Village in Ponca City, Okla., during which time he buried his wife of almost 70 years of marriage in 2007.

An active member of Pine Street Baptist Church, in Nevada, Martin was a deacon for 50 years, served as a trustee for 20 years, was director of Sunday school and church training, and taught in the young peoples department. In November 2006, he was honored with Deacon Emeritus.

Martin enjoyed a long life with many experiences and a few challenges. However, he quickly adapted to work these challenges to be able to continue living One Day at a Time and encouraging others in his path. Martin finished well.

Martin was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Mildred Smith Eslinger; sisters, Mabel and Joe Kinney, Fern and Hi Ferry, Leona and Paul Breedlove, Irene and Howard Trimble, and Thelma and Dick Gettings; infant brother, John Eslinger; and brothers-in-law, Ernie and Norma Smith, and Wilmer and Jessie Smith

Martin is survived by daughters, Connie Eslinger of Houston, Texas, and Karen Eslinger Cripps and husband, Ray of Ponca City, Okla.; grandchildren, Lonnie and Shelia Cripps of Springdale, Ark., Rodney and Sarah Cripps of Lancaster, S.C., and Danny and Kathy Gossen of Edmond, Okla.; great-granddaughters, Mackenzie Cripps of Bella Vista, Ark., and Heidi and Sophie Gossen of Edmond, Okla.; as well as four nieces, and one nephew.

In lieu of flowers, the family request memorial contributions to the Martin and Mildred Eslinger Scholarship Fund, Southwest Baptist University, in Bolivar, Mo., in care of Ferry Funeral Home, P.O. Box 284, Nevada. This scholarship was set up in 2000 by their daughters to honor their parents and to encourage young people to further their education in a Christian setting.

Funeral services will be held Friday, July 19, at the Pine Street Baptist Church, Nevada, with the Rev. Rodney Cripps officiating. Interment will follow in the Virgil City Cemetery, Virgil City, Mo. Friends may call and until the hour of service with visitation from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., prior to the service.

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