GLOUCESTER: Reino Martin, 84, died Wednesday, May 30, 2007 at his home. He was the husband of T. Tellervo Martin.
A native of Gloucester, Reino was born on February 17, 1923. He was the son of the late Frank A. and Hulda E. (Hautamaki) Martin. He was a graduate of Gloucester High School class of 1940 and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston in 1955.
He worked in a variety of fields, including as a shipper in a coat factory and selling Christmas trees at the Willow Rest. He also worked on aircraft superchargers at the General Electric Company. He was drafted in 1943 and he served for three years. His service began with Army medical corpsman training. He transferred to the U.S. Air Force, but his flight training was interrupted by a partial hearing loss. He returned to the medical corp. and served on hospital ships in both the Atlantic and the Pacific, including the U.S.S. Comfort. In addition to his medical duties, he assisted in the occupational therapy and entertainment of the wounded, and he became the ship’s barber as well. He was also stationed in England and the Philippines. After the service, he worked as a captain on a sport tuna fishing boat and as a carpenter. Through the G.I. Bill, he attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, where he studied Silver and Goldsmithing. He won several awards, including the Rebecca Joslin Traveling scholarship, which brought him by cruise liner to Europe and Scandinavia. It was during this trip that he met his future wife in Seinajoki, Finland, and several sea voyages later, he brought his new wife back to the home he built in Gloucester. He was active in the community, serving on the Cape Ann Council of Arts and the Guild of Craftsmen. He shared his craft with others, teaching at the Decordova Museum, the Montserrat School, the Lexington Society of Arts & Crafts, and Endicott College. He has created, by hand, countless pieces of art in silver and gold, including tea services, candlesticks, jewelry, church altar crosses, and two extraordinary 30” tall ships, the “Flying Cloud” and the U.S.S. Constitution, both made to scale. He was truly one of the best craftsmen of our time.
In addition to his wife of forty-nine years, he is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Ann Elizabeth Martin-Cummins and Kevin L. Cummins of Seattle, WA and many relatives, including his sister, Fanny Jacobson and many nieces, nephews and cousins both in the United States and Finland.
His memorial service will be held on Tuesday, June 5th in the St. Paul Lutheran Church, Gloucester at 4 P.M. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. There are no visiting hours. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the “Building the Dream” elevator fund at St Paul Lutheran Church, 1123 Washington St., Gloucester. The family would like to thank the wonderful support received by our family and friends and Pastor Deneen.