John F. Martin

Mr. John F. Martin, age 84, of Ocean Springs, died Wednesday, September 16, 2009 in Ocean Springs. He attended Arkansas State University and graduated from the University of California at Berkeley majoring in Mechanical Engineering and Business Administration. He also completed the Stanford Executive Program at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, Stanford, California. Mr. Martin served with distinction for over 54 years at Pacific Coast Engineering which later became Paceco Inc., a subsidiary of Fruehauf Corporation with facilities at Alameda, California and Gulfport, Mississippi. Working initially in Design Engineering, Engineering Management, Sales Engineering, and Sales Management, Mr. Martin guided Paceco to a position of prominence as a world leader in the design, engineering, and manufacture of Container Handling Systems, and Equipment. Mr. Martin culminated his Paceco career as President and CEO of Paceco, Inc. and Chairman of the Board, Paceco International Ltd., London, England serving from 1972 to 1988. Mr. Martin's interests included boating and golf and he was also a former private pilot. He was a member of the Ocean Springs Rotary Club and Sunkist Country Club, Biloxi, MS. Upon retirement from Paceco, Mr. Martin donated his time and effort to establish the West Jackson County Utility District where he served as Chairman from August 1992 through September 1997. He is preceded in death by his parents, Everett & Josephine Martin; two brothers, Bill & Charles Martin, and two sisters, Geneva Richardson and Joy Dunow. He is survived by his wife, Lila S. Martin of Ocean Springs, and son, James William (Jim) Martin of Belmont, CA. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, September 21, 2009 at Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home in Ocean Springs. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to The Lord Is My Help, 1205 DeSoto Street, Ocean Springs, MS 39564.