Organizations

: Martin Mortuary (Grand Junction, Colorado); A mortuary founded by Fred C. Martin and his wife in Grand Junction, Colorado in 1917. According to oral history interviewee Ann (Reese) Stokes, Martin and his family lived in Palisade, Colorado shortly before coming to Grand Junction. In Palisade, they owned an undertaker business. They moved to Grand Junction and established Martin Mortuary shortly after. F.C. Martin passed ownership of the mortuary to his son Edward Martin and his wife, Helen (Maharg) Martin, in 1937. Paul Martin, Edward’s son, joined the company in 1952. The mortuary was purchased by R.A. “Bob” Crist and his son Martin in 1982. According to local historian David Sundal, Martin Mortuary catered to a Protestant clientele, while Callahan Mortuary had a primarily Catholic business. It has been in operation for over 100 years. According to David Sundal, Fred C. Martin believed that Dalton Trumbo had lampooned him and Martin Mortuary in the play “The Biggest Thief in Town.” In the play, a local undertaker seeks to profit unscrupulously from the death of a very wealthy and powerful man.

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