Roger Ashby Martin, 80 years old, passed away peacefully at his home on April 2nd, 2024. He was born on April 14, 1943 to OC & Norma Martin. Roger was the youngest of four children and is preceded in death by his three siblings, Mildred, CL and Lois. Roger is survived by his wife of 62
years Patricia N. Martin, their daughter Lisa and husband Steve Irvin, their son Mark and wife Tonya Martin, grandchildren Brooks Irvin (Abigail), Alex Irvin (Sarah), Cory Martin (Kristen), Courtney Gray (Kaleo) and Lauren Dennis (Mitch), along with eleven great grandchildren.

Roger graduated from Galax High School in 1961 and attended National Business College (Roanoke). He joined the family business, Martin's Flowers and Greenhouses, where he worked for 17 years. He was a dedicated worker and always gave his best.

Roger definitely lived a life of service to his family, friends, and community. In 1977, he and his wife Pat, opened and operated Stuart Drive Mini Mart. This provided a service to the area, yet more importantly, a sense of true community was nurtured through conversations, memories made, and children could always count on a free bag of candy. Roger had a true gift for listening and serving others, which created dozens of regulars throughout the years. He was known in the community for his homemade sausage, which was highly acclaimed, and a tradition cherished by many. He served on the City of Galax Planning and Zoning Board for over 50 years, another testament to investing in his community.

The funeral service will be held Saturday at 2:00 PM in the First Christian Church with Darren Lambert officiating. There will be no visitation. Burial will be private for the family. In lieu of flowers  the family respectfully request donations be made to the Mt. Valley Hospice , 7599-C Carrollton Pike, Galax, Virginia 24333 or to the  charity of the donor's choice.

Our beloved Grampy, Grandad, Dad, and Husband was calm, kind-hearted, and a friend to many. He will  truly be missed, yet his legacy lives on through his lessons he taught, "Do what is right, not what's easy."