Roy Dale Martin, 84, of Cleveland, TN, passed away Sunday, October 5, 2014, in a Knoxville hospital.
He was a member of the Church of God at Dutch Valley and formerly attended the Church of God at North Cleveland and the Church of God at South Cleveland. He was a retired ordained Bishop in the Church of God for over 50 years. Roy was formerly employed at the Church of God Headquarters and for 16 years he was the pastor of the Church of God at Pine Hill. Roy also pastored churches in West Virginia, Virginia, and Canada. Prior to being called to preach he was a carpenter. Roy was a Veteran having served in the US Air Force in Korea during the Korean Conflict. He built and played autoharps and he had received a US Patent on his autoharp design.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Homer Lee Martin and Carrie Hylton Martin.
He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Wanda Martin of Cleveland; children, Davonna (Douglas) Parker of Cleveland, Kevin Dale (Suzy) Martin of Lenoir City and Dorieta Martin of Chattanooga; five grandchildren, Kenneth Dale (Amy) Kier, Jesse Kier, Keveena (Aaron) Judzewitsch, Nicole (Gregory) Ludtka and Zachary Dale (Somer) Martin; five great-grandchildren, Wyatt Dale, Joshua, Lauren, Kaitlyn and Landon Dale; one sister, Lorene Goddard of Beckley, WV; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, October 8, in the chapel of Grissom-Serenity Funeral Home with Dr. Tom Frye and Bishop Jimmy Moore officiating. Interment will be held at 1:30 p.m. in the Chattanooga National Cemetery with Kenneth Kier, Jesse Kier, Zachary Martin, Aaron Judzewitsch, Donald Swafford and Brad Sessoms serving as pallbearers. Larry Hafley and the Ordained Bishops of the Church of God will serve as honorary pallbearers.
The family asks that a memorial be made to the Church of God at Dutch Valley, 1416 Breda Dr. Knoxville, TN 37918.
Arrangements are being handled by Grissom-Serenity Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Mark S. Grissom, Funeral Director.