George L. Martens

George L. Martens, 85, of Forreston, died Thursday January 18, 2018 at Presence St. Joseph Home. George was born February 22, 1932, the son of William and Sophie Greenfield. George was adopted by Henry and Maggie Martens. He was a 1950 graduate of Forreston High School. George served in the U.S. Army from August 7, 1952 to August 7, 1954. He married Mary Esterly in 1956. George and Mary had three children, twins, Jim and Judy were born in 1957, and son, Mike in 1962. Mary died January 5, 1973. Then he married Kathy Higgins in 1983. George farmed in the Forreston area and installed antennas and telephones. He served on the Forreston School Board, was a 50 year American Legion Member, Ogle County Farm Bureau Member, and helped with several church jobs. Surviving are his wife, Kathy Martens of Forreston; son, Mike (Grace) Martens; grandson, Ethan; all of Shanghai, China; daughter-in-law, Kerry Martens of Huntsville, Alabama; sister, Lavonne Wolf; sister-in-laws, Barbara Esterly and Joanne (Ralph) Martin; brother-in-law, Chuck (Rita) Esterly. Also surviving are many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great nephews. George was preceded in death by his parents, adoptive parents, two children, Jim in 2011 and Judy in 2014; his first wife, and ten siblings, Pearl Fieselman, Bertha Harms, Dorothy Harrington, Hilda Eichelberger, Ruth Holcomb, Berneice James, Henry Greenfield, James Greenfield, Les Greenfield, and Herman Greenfield; brother-in-law, Jim Esterly and Gerald Schelling; and sister-in-law, Meg (Esterly) Schelling. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday January 25, 2018 at Forreston Reformed Church. Visitation will be Wednesday January 24, 2018 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. at Burke Tubbs Funeral Home Forreston. Burial will be in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens. Please sign George's guestbook at www.burketubbs.com