Col. William N. Martasin 'Bill'

SEAFORD - Col. William N. Martasin (Bill), USrmy Retired, passed away in Seaford, DE on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008. He was born in New York City in 1916. He graduated from the University of Hawaii, and received his MBA from Ohio State University. He was a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Beta Gamma Sigma, honorary scholastic fraternities. Prior to joining the army, Col. Martasin served as a safety engineer with Liberty Mutual Insurance Company in New York and California until August 1941. He then joined the Contractors, Pacific Naval Air Bases, and was on Midway Island on Dec. 7, 1941. He returned to Hawaii in Dec. 1941, and became personnel manager for the Contractors at Kaneohe Naval Air Base. He later served as deputy to the chairman of the War Manpower Commission in what was then the territory of Hawaii. He married Susan Rabe of Topeka, Kans. in 1944, on the same day that he received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant, Infantry at Ft. Benning, Ga. His combat service during World War II was as an armored infantry platoon leader and company commander in the 10th Armored Infantry Battallion, 4th Armored Division in General Patton's 3rd Army in France, Luxombourg, Germany and Czechoslovakia. He was awarded the Bronze Star medal for valor. Integrated into the regular army in 1947. From 1950 to 1953, his assignments included service on the staff and faculty of the Command and General Staff College at Ft. Levenworth, Kans., of which he was a graduate. He also graduated from the U.S. Army Management School and the Army War College. Col. Martasin also served as Deputy Adjutant General of the U.S. Army, Pacific and as Adjutant General of I Corps, Uijongbu, Korea. In 1957, Martasin was assigned to Geneva Switzerland as Executive Officer to the Joint Chiefs of Staff representative to the ten power "Surprise Attack" conference. He also helped establish the "Arms Control" office in the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. At the time of his retirement, he was Deputy Commander of the U.S. Army Data Support Command in the Pentagon. Upon retirement, he was employed by EBS Management Consultants, Computer Science Division in Washington, D.C. In 1969, he became the Director of Administrative Services for the University of Georgia in Athens. Martasin entered the real estate business in Falls Church, Va. in 1972, and in 1976 became manager of Century 21, Tideland Properties in Easton, Md. He was an adjunct instructor in real estate subjects at Chesapeake College from 1981 to 1984. Martasin was a member of Royal Oak Community United Methodist Church and served two terms as chairman of the administrative board. He was also president of the "Eastern Shoremen" Barbershoppers Chorus; a member of the Board of Directors of the Talbot County Mental Health Association; President of the Talbot County Board of Realtors; Chairman and member of Board of Trustees, Upper Shore Mental Health Center; member of the Talbot County Mental Health Advisory Committee; and President of the Mid-Shore Alliance for the Mentally Ill. In 1994, the Martasin's left Easton after 20 years residence in Arcadia Shores, and moved to the Methodist Manor House, a continuing care community in Seaford. Col. Martasin taught the 55 Alive Safety Driving Course for AArp, served on the Resident Council of the Manor House and served as an AARP tax counselor for the elderly. Colonel Martasin's wife, Susan preceeded him in death in 1997. He is survived by a son, James Martasin; a daughter, Susan Martasin; and a very dear friend, Josephine Herron of Easton, Md. A memorial service for Col. Martasin was 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008 at the Manor House. Donations may be made to the Benevolance Fund, Methodist Manor House, 1001 Middleford Road, Seaford, DE 19973.