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In Memoriam: Bob Martin
The Pikes Peak Section lost one of its best friends and advocates when Bob Martin, Past National President of the Mercedes-Benz Club of America, passed away on May 4, 2010. Bob was born on April 13, 1939 in Surrey, England. He was a well-known and respected leader in the Colorado Springs community but he was particularly beloved by our Mercedes-Benz community.
Bob’s love affair with “the cars from Stuttgart” began in 1973 when he bought his first vehicle. He and Carole owned and/or restored over 100 vehicles over the years and even today, there are 20 M-Bs housed at Bob and Pete’s Toy Store. Bob was instrumental in the growth of our club, successfully shepherding it through some tough times. Bob and Carole joined MBCA in 1979. Bob served as the President of the Pikes Peak Section and newsletter editor of ‘Round the Benz. He was named Member of the Year for the Pikes Peak Section in 1998 and Officer of the Year for the Rocky Mountain Region in 1988. In 2002, he received our section’s highest honor when he was named the first winner of the Donn Wald Award. Bob was a member of the MBCA national board of directors and served as President of MBCA from 1992-1994. He was the founder of the MBCA Semiannual Car Raffle that has generated over a million dollars for the club. He epitomized the distinction and elegance of the Mercedes-Benz vehicle and is known throughout our car community for his passion and devotion to the marque. The Pikes Peak Section, in particular, owes him a huge debt of gratitude for his guidance and leadership. His passing leaves a void that will be difficult to fill.
Bob was also a strong community leader. He was employed by the City of Colorado Springs for over 16 years and served as the City Engineer. He was President of Land Development Consultants (LDC) Inc, the company he founded. He was the Past President of the Association for Retarded Citizens, Past Chairman of the Board of Sunny Vista Living Center and was Past Chairman of the Board of the Colorado Springs Credit Union. He also served on the Board of the Pikes Peak Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and the Board of Directors of Martin Luther Homes among numerous other boards. He was an animal lover and gentle spirit who will be dearly missed by his family and many friends. Bob is survived by his loving wife, Carole; his children David and Laura; his brother Barry; his sister Pamela and numerous nieces and a nephew. Memorials may be made to the Lustgarten Foundation to Cure Pancreatic Cancer, 1111 Stewart Avenue, Bethpage, New York, 11714, www.lustgarten.org. or to the charity of choice.
