Robert O. Martin

Visitation for Robert O. Martin, 90, of Bradley, will be from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at the Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home, Bourbonnais. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Bradley. Burial will be in Mound Grove Gardens of Memory, Kankakee. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Kankakee Valley or to the Illinois Veterans Home at Manteno. Mr. Martin died Friday (Jan. 27, 2012) at the Illinois Veterans Home at Manteno. Mr. Martin was the acting mayor of Bradley from Oct. 14, 1999 to April 28, 2001. He was police chief in Bradley from 1961 to 1987. He was born Dec. 28, 1921, in Bradley, the son of Ovide L. and Varena Allgaier Martin. His wife, the former Betty J. Kassman, whom he married May 27, 1950, at St. Joseph Rectory, died Oct. 13, 1992. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving during World War II. He was a member of the 104th Infantry Division "Timberwolves" in Europe and was awarded the Purple Heart. He was a graduate of Bradley High School, where he was an accomplished four-sport athlete. He was a member of the basketball state tournament team in 1939 and a member of the first area team to make it to the Sweet 16. He was elected to the BBCHS Athletic Hall of Fame. He coached baseball. He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, the Holy Name Society, the Bradley Village Board, the Elks, the Moose, Kankakee County Tourism, the Bradley VFW Post 6502, the Bradley American Legion Post 0766, the Hundred Club of Kankakee County, the BBCHS District 307 Board of Education for 12 years and Kankakee County Crimestoppers. He was an avid golfer at the Kankakee Elks Country Club. He enjoyed golfing, bowling, dancing and being with his family. Surviving are three sons and two daughters-in-law, Joshua and Kimberly Martin, of Bradley, Samuel Martin, of Manteno, and Jason and Allison Martin, of Bradley; eight grandchildren, Benjamin Martin, Jacob Martin, Maxwell Martin, Nathan Martin, Nicole Martin, Ian Graham, Ryan Graham and Kaleigh Martin; one sister, Betty J. Martin, of Bradley; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Harry and Mary Martin, of Kankakee, and Homer and Mary Martin, of Bradley; and special friend, Anita Sue Greenstreet, of Bradley. He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Dorothy Byrne and Leola Glassford; and one brother, Art Martin.

Robert O. Martin

December 28, 1921 - January 27, 2012