Dr. Glenn Martin, IWU Professor for Nearly 40 Years, Dies at 68

Dr. Glenn Martin died at 8:22 p.m. Saturday, May 29, at Marion (Ind.) General Hospital, following a courageous battle with cancer. He served as Professor of History and Political Science at Indiana Wesleyan University for nearly 40 years and chaired the Division of Social Science for 30 years.

Glenn Richards Martin was born June 17, 1935, in Warsaw, Ind., to the late Bernard C. and Isabelle (Morrison) Martin, formerly of Elkhart. He graduated from Warsaw High School in 1952. On Aug. 24, 1957, he married Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Squires of Greensboro, N.C. She survives.

Dr. Martin graduated with honors from Greenville (Ill.) College in 1957. He earned a master's degree from Butler University, Indianapolis, and a Ph.D. in History and Political Science from Ball State University. He maintained a 4.0 grade-point average during his doctoral work, won an award for the outstanding dissertation in the social sciences over a five-year period, and was named in Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities.

From 1957 to 1963, he taught, coached and was an administrator in junior and senior high schools, receiving the Rudd Award for Excellence in Public School Education. The next two years, he served as Executive Director for Indiana Citizens for Good Government, traveling the state to promote responsible involvement in government.

Dr. Martin taught at Wheaton (Ill.) College before joining the faculty at IWU, then Marion College. Students twice named him Professor of the Year. For the 1983 IWU faculty conference, he presented Biblical Christian Education; transcripts were widely circulated. He taught at IWU from 1967 through the spring semester of 2004.

In 1977, Dr. Marin lectured in Hawaii for Youth With a Mission, which led to numerous speaking engagements nationally and internationally. Each summer and on academic breaks he lectured in settings that ranged from rugged Discipleship Training Schools in Third-World nations to American universities to churches and schools in Europe, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. He lectured on four continents during one summer. About 200 students were attracted to IWU through his lecturing.

His basic lecture series on Biblical Christian Leadership, given an average of five times each year, became the foundational lectures for a six-month School of the Biblical Christian Worldview in Switzerland, offered annually since 1988. In 1999, the Institute of Biblical Reforms and Strategic Christian Services in Switzerland presented Dr. Martin with a citation for Outstanding Service in Christian World View Leadership.

Dr. Martin administered the Division of Social Science from 1972 to 2001. Under his leadership, assisted by department coordinators Jerry Showalter and Steve Stahlman, the division grew steadily in terms of students, faculty and majors offered. A pre-law program was initiated in 1973. He founded a department scholarship program and two annual lecture series to bring notable scholars to the campus and community.

Dr. Martin and his wife Betty have been members of College Wesleyan Church since 1967. They have supported community organizations such as PAL clubs and the Crisis Pregnancy Center. They have presented the Francis Schaeffer film series in about 50 churches in the Marion area.

In addition to his wife Betty, Dr. Martin is survived by a daughter Tamara (Jay) Harman, Vacaville, Calif.; a daughter Adair (Matthew) Morgan, Fredericksburg, Va.; a son, Glenn III, St. Louis, Mo.; two sisters, Ann (Robert) Moore, Elkhart, and Mary (Tillman) Smith, Greenfield; two brothers, Bernard C., Columbus, Ohio, and Marvin B. (Carol), Bourbon, Ind., and five grandchildren.

He also is survived by beloved aunts, nieces, nephews and other relatives as well as friends and colleagues. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Karen White, Goshen.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday, June 11, at College Wesleyan Church, 4001 S. Selby St., Marion. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 10, at Needham-Storey-Wampner Funeral Service, North Chapel, 1341 N. Baldwin Ave., Marion. There also will be calling from 8:30 a.m. to the time of the service on Friday at the church.

Dr. Martin's wife, Betty, had surgery five days before his death, which is why the memorial service has been delayed for several days. Betty may not be able to attend the entire visitation time, but other family members will be present to greet callers.

The family has asked that any memorial gifts be sent to Indiana Wesleyan University, Gilead Ministries (a cancer support group), or College Wesleyan Church. (To mail a memorial, put "Dr. Glenn Martin Memorial" on memo line of check and mail to Indiana Wesleyan University, Advancement Office, 4201 S. Washington Street, Marion, IN 46953; Gilead Ministries, P.O. Box 134, Jonesboro IN 46938; or College Wesleyan Church, 4001 S. Selby, Marion IN 46953.)