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Obituary- Martinek, William D. 4

In Memory of
William D. Martinek
"My husband says Bill was the fairest, most pleasant, and most honest dealer he ever did business with," read the handwritten note on a sympathy card sent to Mrs. Bill Martinek and her family. This feeling of trust and admiration was shared by all those who knew him, including his competitors in the farm equipment business.

The mass of beautiful floral tributes, the deluge of sympathy cards and letters, and the outpouring of other expressions of love and concern are all evidence of the respect people had for this hard-working, long-time owner of Rossville Truck and Tractor.

William Devere Martinek was only 61 years old when he died on February 26, 1989. Born in Silver Lake, he and his brother Bob went through school in the same class. They played side by side on the football, basketball, and baseball teams, but Bill was the victor in the race for Student Council president. The brothers also shared a '35 Dodge which had two engines ... because one was always being worked on.

A graduate of Silver Lake High School in 1945, Bill entered the Army; took basic training at Vancouver, Wash.; and then was stationed on Leyte Island in the Philippines. He found time, however, to marry a Topeka girl, Helen Richardson, on July 6, 1946, in Vancouver.

The young couple came back to Kansas after his Army stint, and Bill began "on-the-job training” in Norville Wingate’s Rossville Farm Store. In 1957, Martinek and George Stadler bought the business and renamed it Rossville Truck and Tractor Company, Inc. Martinek became sole owner in 1979.

The company advertisement in the 1971 publication of Rossville's 100th anniversary brochure is indicative of Bill's quiet, unassuming way. In the roster of employee names, Bill’s is the final signature.

Martinek served two terms on the Rossville City Council, and was a member of the United Methodist Church, the Masonic Lodge, the American Legion Post, and the Lions Club. In recognition of his many years of service to the Rossville community, the City dedicated the August 1988 Tall Com Festival in his honor. He and Helen rode in style in a beautifully refurbished 1910 chain-driven International Harvester vehicle. It was rough riding, but I dare say Bill enjoyed it.

Martinek was recognized as one of the Top Ten I-H dealers for the Kansas City district in 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969. He saw many changes and improvements in farm machinery during those 30 years, and sometimes regretted he hadn’t started a collection of models on International Harvester and Case I-H equipment years ago.

Life wasn't all work, however. He and Helen bowled regularly and have a box of bowling trophies from team victories. He liked sports of all kinds, and he loved to fish. He and his brother Orville loaded up their fishing poles almost every weather-decent Sunday.

"He was not one for being in the limelight," Helen and the children agreed. "He did for people without expecting in return. He enjoyed the business and being with the farmers. It was his first love."

The Martinek sons grew up with Rossville Truck and Tractor, and they will carry on the business their father loved.

The sympathy of the entire community goes out to Helen, the children, his mother, and to all the others who will miss Bill Martinek so much.

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