CLINTON - Warren E. Martin, 82, of Clinton died at 9:32 p.m. Tuesday at Decatur Memorial Hospital, Decatur.

His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Calvert Funeral Home, Clinton, J. Kent Hickerson officiating. Burial will be in Mausoleum Park Cemetery, Clinton. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Fifth Floor Department of Oncology, Decatur Memorial Hospital.

He was born March 26, 1921, in Waltonville, a son of Harl L. and Bertha E. Rogers Martin.

He married Phyllis A. Burkholder on Jan. 21, 1973, at Chatham. She survives.

Also surviving are one son, Larry D. (Cindy) Martin, Clinton; one daughter, Rita Sue Irvin, Huntington Beach, Fla.; one stepdaughter, Bari (Michael) Putman, Springfield; three stepsons, Randall (Charlene) Epperson, Highland, Wis.; Bradley (Bernadette) Epperson, Houston, Texas; and Robert Epperson, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; one sister, Beulah Hayes, Mount Vernon; 14 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers and one sister.

He was the founder of Martin Auction Co. in Clinton in 1947. He was founder of Arthur Livestock Auction in 1991 in Arthur. He was in the Illinois Hall Of Fame of Auctioneers and a member of the National and Illinois Auctioneers Associations. He was a nationally renowned auctioneer, having served with LeRoy Van Dyke in Auctions, and was well-known throughout the nation. He invented the mobile auction truck, which became famous throughout the United States. He also was on the board of directors of Maroa Forsyth Community Bank.

Source: The Pantagraph, Bloomington, IL
Date: Monday, October 16, 2003
Submitted by: Robert W. Loman