Martin Dillon Hart went to the great beyond on July 23, 2019. He is currently traveling the universe with his dog Lou. There are no stop lights and no traffic in interstellar space so he is much happier. If you need to reach him, order a Budweiser that costs more than $3.00 and you will certainly hear from him.
He is survived by his extraordinarily patient wife, Joyce, his daughter, Holly, her husband, Scott, his grandchildren, Dalton (9) and Graham (6), sisters, Mary and Marsha, sister-in-laws, Ruth and Elaine, brother-in-laws, Jim, Wes, Tim, Anthony, Sherman and Troy, nieces, Elizabeth, Carrie, Molly, Katie, Nicki, Amanda, Meghan, Maddie, Tabitha and Bethany, nephews, John, Ryan and Chris, step-nephews, John and Dave, cousins, Bill, John and Mark and a host of great nieces and nephews.
Martin was born on November 28, 1944 in St. Louis, MO. He lived most of his childhood in Salem riding bikes with his buddies around town. A treasure hunter at heart, he developed an early love for collecting arrowheads, coins, buttons and matchbooks. He was a good student at Salem High School graduating in 1962. He was voted best actor in his school play (he liked to brag about this so I felt the need to include it). He went on to get an accounting degree from Drury College and after a job in the Internal Audit department at Monsanto in St. Louis.
He met his main squeeze, Joyce Knight, and married her on December 30, 1970 (50 years next year) whom he had one daughter, Holly Hart of St. Louis. He taught her to always wear her seatbelt, select quality tires, fish, to love nature and not to smoke. Joyce and Martin moved back to Salem in 1973 to help run the Tower Inn Motel, Walnut Bowl and Crossroads Shopping Center which they operated until 1999. In 1997, he along with Don Gregory, opened The Roadhouse in Salem. Highly regarded as a fair and fun employer, he had little tolerance for employees who missed work or showed up late. He knew all his customers by name and spoke to each of them every time they walked in the door.
He had a life-long love affair of taking pictures of dead animals, Imo’s pizza, daily newspapers, his dogs, Budweiser, classic country music and old westerns. He excelled at making spectator fires, cleaning fish, sharpening his chainsaw, wearing jeans for all occasions and reading books on American history. His favorite presents were underwear, socks, shotgun shells and hunting and fishing licenses. He took extreme pride in his two grandsons believing they are the smartest, best looking and most athletic children on the planet.
Martin was an avid hunter who preferred bird hunting over all other forms. The self-proclaimed best fisherman in Dent County (behind the late Ted Ziske) has caught thousands of fish not just locally but in Alaska, Florida, the Great Lakes and Canada. He would beat you in Jeopardy with all subject matter prior to 1985. As a point of pride, he loved to tell people he’s been to all 50 states, the last being Oregon just this last June.
Not a religious man but a man with a strict moral code. He hated all thieves and particularly that one person who stole his chainsaw out of his truck in 2007. You will be hearing from him. A steward of mother nature, a collector of artifacts, a loyal friend, a staunch supporter of the local American Legion and a scholar of Native American history, Martin was a bona fide original.
Everyone who remembers him is asked to celebrate his life in their own way, raising a glass with their favorite drink would be quite appropriate. And you don’t have to stop there - you can always have “just one more.”
A celebration of life was held for Martin at the Spring Creek Golf and Country Club in Salem, MO on Wednesday, July 31 at 3:00. Speakers were, Holly Hart, Mike Duggen, Scott Gassen, Sandy Ball, Rick Whitaker at 3:00 and libations followed
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to one of the following: Salem Public Library, The American Legion Post 99, Love Packs or Salem’s Animal Shelter.
