Bruce Martin

“Once a Marine, Always a Marine.  Semper Fi”

Bruce Martin of Blountville, Tennessee passed away on Thursday, February 27, 2020.  He was born in Meadowview, Virginia in 1945 to the late Leon Charles Martin and Ethelyn McCracken Fleenor. 

Baptized at Meadowview Methodist Church, Bruce attended Patrick Henry High School in Emory, Virginia.   He served in the United States Marine Corps in the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines from 1964 through 1967.  Bruce was a Vietnam Combat wounded veteran awarded three purple hearts. 

He graduated from Kingsport Business College and worked at Holston Defense in Kingsport and Paper Supply Company in Bristol. Bruce then opened his own residential contracting business, Martin Enterprises, in 1988.  After retiring in 2006, he loved spending time racing his super performance yellow Camaro, CX17, at Bristol’s Thunder Valley.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his daughter, Traci LeDia; brother, Charles “Chuck” Martin; and his beloved dog, Grady.

Bruce is survived by his wife of 54 years, Vicki; daughter, Brittany; and brother, Kenneth Martin and family.

The family would like to thank the Mountain Home Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center Oncology nursing staff, Dr. Mailene Rogers, and the nursing staff at Johnson City Medical Center, especially Ashley Smith, RN for their compassionate dedication this his care. 

Graveside services will be conducted at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at East Lawn Memorial Park.  Those attending graveside services are asked to assemble at Hamlet-Dobson Funeral Home in Kingsport at 11:00am and then proceed to East Lawn Cemetery. Military Honors will be accorded by The American Legion, Hammond Post #3 and Gate City Post #265.  A Veteran’s Appreciation Service will be conducted prior to graveside services with Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter #979, officiating.

Bruce fought the good fight to the end like the soldier he was.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (multiplemyeloma.org), Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura Foundation (answeringttp.org) or American Cancer Society at cancer.org regarding Agent Orange exposure.