Armand Martin dies in Spain on May 12, 2020 BFA Class of 1949

Armand is the 3rd person to die in the Class of 1949 in the last 6 months.

Armand A. Martin passed away on May 12 in Vigo, Spain. He was born July 10 1931. Armand grew up in Fairfax on the Will and Maude King Farm, his adoptive parents. Armand loved working on the farm in North Fairfax. His happiest moments were spent working in the Sugarbush with his Dad and learning to boil sap

Armand attended BFA Fairfax where he played basketball and baseball, graduating in 1949. While still in high school, he joined the St. Albans Company Vermont National Guard deploying with them to Germany during the Korean Conflict.

Coming home, Armand enrolled in the GE Apprentice Program in Schenectady, NY. Upon graduation, he joined the GETSCO (General Electric Technical Services Company) working in the US and Argentina, Israel, Brazil, India and Spain. He was subsequently inducted into the Academy of Turbine Generator Installation Engineers.

It was while working in Spain that “Armando” met and married his beautiful, fiery Spanish senorita Maria Ygleseas of Virgo, Spain. She survives him.

Retiring in 1987, Armand and Maria enjoyed their early retirement years revisiting his love of farming in upstate NY. Family was so important to Armando that he had a special extra long dining room table built so that all could sit around it at the same time when visiting. After selling the farm, summers were spent in Vermont and winters in Spain.

In addition to his widow, Armand leaves behind one sister, Patricia (King) Hardy of Holden, MA and several nieces, nephews and cousins including his very close nephews, Elbridge, Shaun and Rawlin Luther, Bernard Keefe, and Steven Ratte.

Armand was predeceased by his parents Will and Maude (Laughlin) King; the King sisters, Elizabeth Johnson, Charlotte Keefe, Mary Ratte, Irma Mitchell, Helen Luther, Bernice Gallagher and Margaret Raleigh; by brothers, Howard, Eustace, Owen and Paul King and special cousins Mary (Johnson) Thompson and BB Mitchell.

Internment will be at St. Luke’s Cemetery in Fairfax at a later date.