David R. Martin, born in New York on October 5, 1944, died in Lyndonville, Vt. on September 12, 2026, at home surrounded by family. He thought he was going to be a scientist, but life took him in unexpected directions. He met Penny Patch, the love of his life, and discovered that he was drawn to the forests of Vermont.
Everything David came across might be made into art, be they broken down tractor parts, copper telephone wire or discarded wood. Summer vacations in Maine saw him carting back rocks, shells and driftwood. He saw spirits in these objects, using them to construct his many creatures.
David was a teacher in St. Johnsbury for over 20 years, then began his career as a children’s book author in the 1990s. He often performed for local kids, telling his stories, juggling and singing with his guitar. His work with CLiF (Children’s Literacy Foundation) brought him to schools all over the Northeast. David served on the board of Lyndonville’s Cobleigh Library for 10 years.
His love of sports was lifelong, beginning with games of stickball in Queens. His own sandlot career was highlighted by his time playing softball for the Burke Hollow Athletic Club. He took up different sports over the years, including cycling, cross-country skiing, tennis and running.
David and Penny lived a joyful life together, full of music, dancing, listening and laughing. He cherished his relationship with each of his four grandchildren, playing sports and make-believe with them, writing them stories, and singing them songs.
A vocal member of the local Indivisible group, David fought injustice and worked to protect our democracy. A founding member of the Whistle Pig Riot Brass Band, he sang and played music in support of those who need protection. He always showed up for a friend, neighbor or family member in need of a move, a bed or a song. You could always tell a David Martin job — solid, thoughtful, fastened tightly, often with a whimsical flourish.
David is survived by his wife, Penny Patch; children, Seth Williams and Lizzie Martin; brother, Ben Martin; and grandchildren, Luna and Jude Williams, and Winslow and Graham Porter. There is so much more family he loved as friends and friends he loved as family.