JL Martin

JL Martin, 66, of Palestine, IL, passed away unexpectedly on September 27, 2025, in the comfort of his home. His story began on January 2, 1959, in Sullivan, IN, but nearly every chapter unfolded in Palestine, where he grew up, graduated from Palestine High School in 1977, and never left. His life was steady and rooted, and while he didn’t care for crowds or attention, those closest to him knew he was truly one of a kind.

He spent more than 30 years at EH Baare, welding and crafting industrial fan guards with the kind of skill and stubborn determination that defined him. Whether it was steel, motors, or erector sets, anything mechanical caught his attention. If it could be built, fixed (or tinkered with), JL was the man for the job, though he wouldn’t let anyone else help. He was determined to do things his own way, or not at all.

The one exception was the wild projects he dreamed up with his brother, Tim. Together, they stripped down old VW Beetles, replaced the wheels with barrels, and year after year, floated them down the Wabash River. For JL, the Wabash wasn’t just a backdrop for a few good stories. It was home. He was a river rat through and through, most alive when camping on its banks, fishing from its waters, or floating along its bends. Though he often talked of making it all the way to the Gulf of Mexico, the local stretch of river was always enough.

JL had a fiery side too, especially when it came to food. His garden always seemed to sprout fiery peppers, which he dried and ground into spices that could set a meal ablaze. Among his favorites were the jalapeño cheddar biscuits that his sweetheart, Linda Best, used to make for him. After her passing, he kept the recipe alive, though, true to form, he couldn’t resist tinkering with it.

If the kitchen showed his fiery side, the puzzle board revealed his steady one. Jigsaw puzzles spread across his table, piece by piece, were more than a pastime. They mirrored the way he approached life itself: taking scattered fragments and fitting them together until the whole picture came clear. For a man who guarded his solitude, puzzles suited him. But solitude had its limits. The one person he could never turn away from was his granddaughter, Riley. To her, JL wasn’t a hermit or a welder or a river rat. He was simply “Pop Pop.” If she grabbed him by the finger, he’d follow, no questions asked. She was his joy, his soft spot, and the part of him that showed just how big his heart really was.

Those who knew JL will remember a man both stubborn and steady, fiery and tender, private yet deeply devoted where it mattered most. His story lives on in the people who loved him and in the memories they now carry forward as his living legacy.

JL is survived by his children, Kellie Martin and Jesse & Emily Martin; by his granddaughter, Riley Martin; by his siblings, Robert & Sherry Martin, Deb Armstrong, and Tim & Nicole Martin; as well as several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bud & Helen (McCammon) Martin; by his nephew, Tanner Harvey; and by his companion and sweetheart, Linda Best.

In keeping with his private nature, JL will be cremated without public services. The Goodwine Funeral Home in Palestine is assisting the family.