Freeport- Francis W. Martin, 79 of Freeport died Wednesday November 14, 2007 at FHN Memorial Hospital.  Born July 12, 1928 in Morrison he was the son of Willard L. and Mabel (Knox) Martin.  He was a veteran of U. S. Army.  On December 24, 1960 he and Mary Gentz were married in Freeport.  He worked for Micro Switch for 17 yrs, retiring in 1987 and then became a youth leader at the Church of the Brethren.  He has been a member of the Church of the Brethren since 1957.

He is survived by his wife of Freeport, 3 sons George (Myla) Martin of Cherry Valley, Willard (Jacki) Martin of Pecatonica, Randy Wilsey of Southern, MO; one daughter Donna Saxby of Freeport; 2 granddaughters Larissa Castro of Cherry Valley, Casey Martin of Pecatonica and a third expected; one grandson Riley Martin of Pecatonica; one brother Eugene (Fay) Martin of Chicago; sister Crystal Graham of Rock Falls; 2 brother in laws Carl Stange of Sterling, Keith Wise of Freeport and numerous children whose lives he has touched.

Preceding him in death were his parents, 2 sisters Beverly Stange and Judy Wise.

Visitation will be Sunday from 1-3 pm at Walker Mortuary.

Funeral Service will be Monday 11:00 a.m. at the Church of the Brethren with the Reverend Lisa Fike officiating.

A memorial fund has been established in his name for the Church of the Brethren.

Burial will be in the Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Freeport.

The Martin family invites friends to extend condolences, share a memory, or light a candle in his honor at  www.walkermortuary.com.