Edgar Lee Martens was born March 10, 1940, in the family home at Conway Springs, Kansas. He was the second of five children born to Isaac and Lavina Martens. As a boy, Edgar learned to work hard and to be strong as he grew up on a farm, milking cows, feeding chickens, and working the wheat fields. These two traits of working hard and being strong would follow Edgar throughout his life. As a young man, he graduated from Anthony High School in Anthony, Kansas, where he was the starting center on the basketball team. He played two more years at Kansas State Community College in Arkansas City, Kansas. At this point, he realized that love was more important than basketball and he married Gloria Ann Esters on August 19, 1961. He immediately moved to Louisiana, finishing his teaching degree at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Upon graduation, he moved to Shreveport, Louisiana and took employment with the Caddo Parish school system, eventually spending many years teaching printing at the Caddo Career Center.
It was in Shreveport that Edgar and Gloria raised their three children, Joan Darlene, Sharla Ann, and Brandon Lee. Edgar spent nearly 65 years together caring for each other. The moments right before he passed away, found him once again doing this same thing. Edgar went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and his Heavenly Father on the evening of January 13, 2026, at the age of 85, more than 67 years after he chose to turn from himself and his own way of living and follow Jesus. Edgar believed in reading his bible and he believed in doing what it said. In seeking the Lord for his calling in life, he believed strongly that God had called him to be a helper. And that is what he did. Right up to his last days, Edgar was taking the opportunities God sent his way and fulfilling the call to help that God had put on his life.
Edgar was preceded in death by his parents, Isaac and Lavina Martens, his brothers Clarence Martens and Everett Martens, and one of his granddaughters, Lauren Rachelle Cresswell.
He is survived by his wife, Gloria Ann Martens, his daughters, Joan (Rick) Rodgers and Sharla Martens, and his son, Brandon (Amber) Martens, and two sisters, Karyn Woodward and Wanda Martens. He is also leaving behind a host of grandchildren [Sarah (Aaron), Katelyn (Mike), Zachary, Emylee Grace, Whit (Aubrey), Isaac, Laurie Paige, Drew, HannahKate, and Bethanny] and great grandchildren (Harper, Sampson, Esther, Evie, Lilly) whom he loved dearly.
He was a wonderful man who will be sorely missed by all of his family and those who knew him. Services honoring Edgar will be held Saturday, January 17 at 10 a.m. at Hanceville Funeral Home in Hanceville, Alabama. Graveside to follow at Sulphur Springs Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be Friday, January 16 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
