Richard H. Martens

   Richard Martens, 88, of Newton, died Monday, June 22, 2026, at Newton Village. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, June 29, 2026, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory in Newton. The family will greet friends from 10-11 a.m., Monday, June 29, at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First United Methodist Church or the Jasper County 4-H Program.

  Richard Henry Martens was born December 18, 1937, to John and Louise (Overpeck) Martens in Davenport, Iowa. He grew up in Bluegrass and Walcott, Iowa, graduating from Davenport Central High School with the class of 1956. He attended Iowa State University for two years, where he met his wife Pat at a 4-H meeting in the winter of 1957. Both remained active in 4-H activities throughout their lives. Dick married Pat, the love of his life, at the First United Methodist Church in Newton, Iowa, in 1958. Together they raised two children, Malaura and Mark.

   Dick worked for the Natural Gas Company in Newton for 40 years. He was a 4-H leader and a superintendent of woodworking at the Jasper County Fair. Dick was a man of great faith and served on various committees at the First United Methodist Church in Newton. He and Pat were camp parents for seven years at the Summer Games, held at Camp Wesley Woods near Indianola. Dick’s hobbies included woodworking, and he created several pieces of furniture for family members. He also enjoyed keeping up with farming and had a special place in his heart for Farmall Tractors.           After retirement, Dick worked part-time at Custom Kitchens for seven years. Dick and Pat also enjoyed traveling and volunteering at the Newton Arboretum. Travel included trips to Alaska, California, Hawaii, and New York. On one special trip, Dick and Pat celebrated their retirement by treating their children and grandchildren to a week at Walt Disney World. Dick was a gentle man, always willing to help others when he could. He will be deeply missed by family and friends.   

   Dick is survived by his wife, Pat; daughter Malaura (Jeff) Werling; son Mark (Diane) Martens; grandchildren, Nick (Ashlee) Martens, Rachel (Colin) Sido, Noah (Kristina) Werling; great-grandchildren, Bryar and Kinzlee Martens, and Jace and Luke Sido; sisters, Roberta Pippert and Ramona Kaller; and his nieces and nephews.

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