Durden-Hudson Funeral Directors announces the death of Mr. John L. “Brother” Martin, Jr., age 76, of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, formerly of Kite and Swainsboro, on November 18, 2022 at Holy Cross Health. Memorial services will be conducted Saturday, December 03, at 11 a.m. at Sardis Primitive Baptist Church with Elder Sam Bowen and Elder Will Martin officiating. Interment will follow privately in the Sardis Primitive Baptist Cemetery. The family will receive friends Friday, December 2, at the funeral home from 5 to 7 p.m.
Honorary pallbearers will be Richard Harvey Anders, Talmadge Franklin Smith, Jr., Christopher Neal Moore, Jr., William David Martin, Seth Smith Anders, Michael Brantly Waters, Sr., and Michael Brantly Waters, Jr.
Mr. Martin, “Brother” was born January 25, 1946, to John Lester Martin, Sr., and Tina Lawson Welch, in Augusta. He was a 1964 graduate of Swainsboro High School, and received his Bachelor’s of Sociology Degree with a Minor in Art from Georgia Southern University. John, “Brother” taught in both the Emanuel County and Richmond County School Systems, and was Director of EMCO Services for the mentally disabled in the State of GA for over 30 years. He was a past member of Swainsboro Jaycees, Swainsboro Rotary Club, and received the Emanuel County 4-H Leaders Alumni Award. John loved flying and enjoyed traveling extensively all around the world. He was of the Baptist faith and attended Sardis Primitive Baptist Church. Mr. Martin is preceded in death by his parents; his loving wife, Leona Antoski Martin; brothers-in-law, Talmadge Smith, Sr. and Chris Moore, Sr.
Survivors include his daughters, Joy Elizabeth Martin (Raul Alejandro Venecia Leon) of Ft. Lauderdale, FL and Christina Marion Sabo (Stephen James Sabo) of Camp Hill, PA; sisters, Bonnie Rose Smith and Laura Welch Moore, both of Kite; brother, Harry Martin (Deborah) of Kite; grandchildren, Emmalee Rae Sabo, Christian James Sabo, Robert John Randall Sabo and Alejanadra Elizabeth Venencia Martin.
In Lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the 4-H Tina Lawson Welch Memorial Scholarship, Emanuel County Extension/4-H, 129 N Anderson Dr., Swainsboro, GA 30401, Sardis Primitive Baptist Church, C/O Harvey Anders, 1258 Wes Lawson Rd., Kite, GA 31049, or The Pride Center at Equality Park, (Founders@PrideCenterFlorida.org), 2040 N. Dixie Hwy., Wilton Manors, FL 33305.
Durden-Hudson Funeral Directors is in charge of arrangements.
