James C. Martin

James C. Martin, 88, Johnson City, passed away Saturday, December 19, 2015 at Johnson City Medical Center. He was born May 8, 1927 in Wilson, NC to V.C. and Nannie Stokes Martin. He graduated from Wilson High School in 1944, then went on to earn his B.S. in chemistry at the University of North Carolina in 1947. While there, he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa honorary scholastic society in 1946. Mr. Martin began employment at Tennessee Eastman Company in January of 1948 in Kingsport, TN as a junior research chemist. Over the years, he rose steadily in the scientific arena to the top rank of Research Fellow. In 1986, he moved into management as Director of Chemistry Research and remained in that position until his retirement in 1992 after 44 years of service. He then served three additional years as a consultant and limited service employee until 1998. During Mr. Martin?s professional career at Eastman, he worked in the areas of: exploratory chemistry, new products, new polymer intermediates, new uses for Eastman raw materials, marketing of new products, and potential acquisitions and mergers. His work produced 100 U.S. patents, numerous foreign patents, and 35 papers in preferred scientific journals. Eastman also sponsored his attendance at short courses at MIT, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, and Executive Studies at Penn State. After the death of his wife of 42 years, Mary Beard Martin, Mr. Martin began an aggressive effort to perpetuate her legacy as a patron of the arts. He was a leading donor to: the ETSU Fine Arts Center initiative; the creation of the ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts; the Mary B. Martin Storytelling Hall of the International Storytelling Center; the Mary B. Martin Auditorium of Seeger Chapel at Milligan College; the Family Concert Series of the Symphony of the Mountains; the annual Mary B. Martin Memorial Concert of the Johnson City Symphony; the Mary B. Martin Program for the Arts at the McKinney Center, Jonesborough; and the Johnson City Area Arts Council in support of the 28th Annual Arts in Education Conference. He was recipient of the: 2010 Chancellor?s Award for Excellence in Philanthropy; 2013 Governor?s Arts Award for Leadership presented by the Tennessee Arts Commission; 2013 Tennessee Board of Regents? Award of Excellence in Philanthropy (presented to Jim and Mary, posthumously); 2013 ETSU Alumni Association?s George L. Carter Award; and 2014 ETSU Foundation?s Dr. Richard Manahan Margin of Excellence Award. In addition to his parents and wife, Mary B. Martin, he is preceded in death by one sister, Elizabeth Martin Harrell, and one daughter, Jane Martin Parks. Survivors include: two daughters, Sonia King, and her husband James, of Johnson City, and Marti Martin, of Jacksonville, FL; one son, Phil Martin, and his wife Anne, of Marion, VA; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. The family of James Martin will receive friends from 12:00 PM until 2:00 PM Tuesday, December 29, 2015 at Morris-Baker Funeral Home. The funeral service will follow at 2:00 PM in the funeral home chapel. Pallbearers will be: Harold J. Licht, Dean Small, Charles Foster, Robert Mantone, Tony McGlone, and Will Johnson. Honorary pallbearers will be Steve Jackson and Wilbur Henderson. Following the funeral service, family and friends will proceed to Monte Vista Memorial Park for committal services. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the ETSU Fine Arts Center/Arts Initiative, ETSU Foundation, PO Box 70721, Johnson City, TN 37614-1710.