A. Ross Martin, age 90, of Butler, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024 at Concordia of Cabot, where he had been a patient for just a week.
Ross was the owner of Martin Funeral Home, Inc., on Center Avenue, Butler. He already had 30 years of funeral service experience in Pittsburgh and Butler when he and his late wife, Eileen, purchased the business from S. Albert Foschi in 1982. With the help of his wife and children, Ross worked tirelessly, assisting grieving families until his retirement at the age of 88 in 2021.
Ross was born April 10, 1933 to the late Albert G. “Butch” and Marcella Caldwell Martin at the family’s home on Pillow Street in Butler.
A year later, the sports facility that became known as Pullman Park was constructed literally in his backyard. Pullman Park was a haven for the young boy, and he used to tell of his job selling candy at the ballpark at the tender age of seven.
One of the things Ross most enjoyed about the ballpark was knowing the players, front office staff, and umpires. In 1947, at the age of 14, Ross became a batboy for the Butler Yankees baseball team. It was the year that a young, immensely talented pitcher named Eddie Ford joined the team and roomed in a home across the street from Ross and his parents. Eddie – who later was known as Whitey Ford – played in Butler for just a year. Eddie then rapidly advanced through the New York Yankees organization to a Hall of Fame career.
As a youth Ross also worked at U.S. Bottling Company on Pillow Street and, later, when he obtained his drivers license, drove a truck for Triangle Gasoline Company, delivering fuel to local service stations and Mom-and-Pop stores.
Ross was educated at St. Paul School in Butler and graduated in 1951 from Butler High School. He worked at a Pittsburgh funeral home while attending the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, where he graduated with honors in 1955. Following his professional apprenticeship he returned to Butler and worked at Geibel Funeral Home for several years.
He was a member of the National Funeral Directors Association, the Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association, the Butler County Funeral Directors Association, and the Allegheny County Funeral Directors Association.
He was a lifelong, active member of Saint Paul Roman Catholic Church, Butler. Over the years he served on Parish Council and participated in other parish activities.
He served for many years on the School Board of Saint Paul School and Butler Catholic School. As a board member he had an active role in the merger of Saint Paul School, Saint Peter School, and Saint Michael School to form Butler Catholic School in 1969.
He coached the 6th grade boys basketball team at Butler Catholic from 1969 until 1982. One of the highlights of his coaching career occurred in 1975, when the Butler Catholic 6th graders won the Pittsburgh Diocesan Championship.
Blessed with a beautiful singing voice that was discovered when he was a boy, Ross sang in the St. Paul Church boys choir and later for decades in the adult choir. He also sang with the Butler Catholic Theater Guild, the Butler Elks Chorus, and the Blazing Star Choral Society.
He loved sports, particularly golf. Over the years he belonged to Lake Arthur Country Club, Armco Country Club, and Oakview Golf Club. As a lifetime member of the Butler Elks, he also golfed for many years with the Elks Golf League.
He is survived by three daughters, Catherine Martin, of Butler, Susan Martin (Mike Waltman), of Butler, and Deborah Martin, of Butler; three sons, Timothy “Pepper” Martin and his wife, Lori, of Petrolia, Thomas Martin and his wife, Kristie, of Herman, and Stephen Martin, of Butler; and eight grandchildren, Allison Seezox and her husband, Nate, Meghan Haskins, Holden Martin, Matthew Martin, Lillianne Martin, Brodie Martin, Kamryn Martin, and Sean Martin.
In addition to his parents, Ross was preceded in death by his wife, Eileen Byrne Martin, whom he married July 16, 1955 and who passed away June 29, 2019.
The Martin family extends sincere and heartfelt thanks to Butler Ambulance Service, Butler Memorial Hospital, and Concordia at Cabot. We also cannot begin to express our deep, deep gratitude and love to Dr. Tom Shetter, not only for the exceptional and compassionate medical care he has provided to Ross for decades, but, more importantly, for his true friendship.
Friends will be received in the Martin Funeral Home, 429 Center Ave., Butler, on Monday from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. and from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday at 10 a.m. from All Saints Parish, Saint Paul Roman Catholic Church, 128 N. McKean St., Butler.
Burial will take place in Calvary Cemetery.
For those unable to attend, the funeral Mass on Tuesday will be livestreamed at www.hvproductions.net/live.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to Butler Catholic School, 515 E. Locust St., Butler, PA 16001.
www.martinfh.net