FHS80 : Remembered - Martin Vermeulen

God's finger touched him, and he slept.
Alfred Lord Tennyson

Marty passed away suddenly on February 21, 2003 in a snowmobile accident in the Adirondacks. He was a father of two little kids, Samantha and Garrett and husband to Tammy. We are still in a state of shock and will miss Marty very much.

-- Kraig Bailey- Marty's cousin and FHS 1980 grad
submitted February 21, 2003,

Death ends a life, not a relationship.
Jack Lemmon

Marty was such a great guy - and I am so sorry I didn't get to know him longer. He always had that grin on his face, like he was about to tell the funniest joke. My husband (Kraig Bailey) remembers all the tomfoolery he managed to instigate when they were kids - often left them all gasping for breath from laughter.

Marty, Tammy and their kids, Samantha (8 yrs) and Garrett (3-1/2 yrs), owned a house at the top of a hill on Aldrich Road, a place where Marty was really looking forward to building a pole barn -- a place to spread out his tools and work on his automobiles. As you may remember, he was always working with his hands -- in the woodshop and later with mechanics and plumbing.

Marty died doing what he loved doing - even when he was young, he was always out snowmobiling in the winter.

-- Jo Ann Bailey - submitted February 22, 2003

What a great guy! Always smiling, always ready to lend a hand, generous and humble. I'll never forget the day he tossed me the keys to his Pinto to "check out his tune up". He didn't tell me he had somehow managed to wedge a 302CI V-8 into it, WOW. Typical Marty, he was good people, and will be missed.

-- Tom Fitch - submitted February 24, 2003

For what is it to die,

But to stand in the sun

and melt into the wind?
Kahlil Gibran

Marty was my oldest brother. I have 33 years of the best memories that anyone could ask for. He was everything a big brother was supposed to be. He let me do things that my parents would have never thought about letting me do.

I drove his Hurst/Olds for the first time when I was just 15. I got to drive it from Farmington all the way back into Fairport (we switched drivers just b 4 we got to our house as we did not think that our father would have been very happy and anyone who knows my dad would understand).

I also remember when he would pick me up from Martha Brown in his Blazer, I thought I was the luckiest brother. Again my parents didn't know that he would sometimes come by and pick me up from school. All I know is that I am VERY sad and I will miss my brother more than anyone can understand. I love him very much. I know that he is in a much better place and I can not wait to see him again.

-- His Brother, Roger Vermeulen

submitted February 25, 2003

Ironically, I had not seen Marty in nearly 20 years, when last fall, I met him and his family at the Macedon Family Restaurant. It was great seeing him, catching up on our lives since school.

He was a proud family man now, that was obvious as he introduced his wife, daughter and son to my family. We talked about our children's teachers and laughed at quick remembrances of FHS.

Our paths crossed at FHS as we sat near each other in classes. I appreciated his humor and outlook on life back in '80. He was definitely a free spirit. And, he was the one who helped me when my car broke down one winter...

Such simple memories. But my life was touched. And I was Blessed to see him last fall.

-- Sandie Stivers Plamer - submitted February 25, 2003

My memories of Marty start when I was 10 and we rode the bus together. Although I moved away after the first year at FHS, when I moved back we got in touch.

There were NASCAR parties at his house on Loud Rd., Turkey Parties every year without a doubt. He was everywhere and known by everyone. You could see him at Hess in his awesome Chevy truck with his lab by his side. He was the only guy I knew that had a sparkling clean vehicle when it was a blizzard and 0 degrees. I would see him at the trucking functions because I was in the printing industry and we did business together.

I'll never forget when he told me how terrified he was to become a Dad for the first time. He knew he was a kid himself and when he thought about having one, it was pretty scary. That's o.k. he was awesome at that, too.

I've never known anyone that could touch so many lives in such a short time. That grin, like a kid that got caught stealing out of the cookie jar.

A wonderful husband, an awesome Dad, and the best friend and neighbor anyone could ever have. He will be missed by so many, but his kindness, the memories he gave each of us and all the lives he touched just for a minute or for a lifetime will live on.

God bless you and keep you Marty, your kind and gentle soul will never be forgotten. Thanks for the memories...

-- Debbie (Gregorsky) O'Hara

submitted February 25, 2003

It is not length of life, but depth of life.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

What a day, what a guy, what a shame.

I've spent a few days crying.

I'm in shock.

There must have been a thousand

people that came to pay their respects tonight.

-- Debbie (Gregorsky) O'Hara

submitted February 25, 2003

Success:

To laugh often and much,

to win the respect of intelligent people

and the affection of children,

to earn the appreciation of honest critics

and endure the betrayal of false friends,

to appreciate beauty,

to find the best in others,

to leave the world a bit better,

whether by a healthy child,

a garden patch,

or a redeemed social condition;

to know even one life has breathed

easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded!

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Oh Marty,

You're a man of action. Always have been. You get down to business and live life. Even dying, you were living the gusto, cutting the path, chasing the dream. Though it's of little consolation, at least I know you were doing what you loved doing, being a man of action...

-- submitted by Steve Britt - June 5, 2003

oh marty, god bless you, i remember growing up with you in egypt. i remember riding sleds with you and your dad. i remember the home made sled your dad made. i remember your 74 panther. i remember egypt before it was ruined although some may call it progress. and how ironic i remember going to your wake on the same land that you and i use to ride on. but best of all i remember you!

-- your friend larry pollotta -- July 19,2003

Marty, Happy Birthday to you yesterday, Feb 1st.

Someone asked me around Christmas time if I miss you. I remember the last time we talked that week. You were so looking forward to going riding. We were suppose to go to lunch the following week. Of course I miss you. Anyone who was blessed to have known you will miss you forever. We'll be thinking of you on Feb. 20th.....DAYTONA BABY!!!

-- submitted by Colleen Glenn -- February 2, 2005