Martin Seifert

Fredericksburg Martin M. Seifert, 92, of Kerrville, passed from this life on Wednesday morning, August 11, 2010 at a local health care facility.

Born on December 9, 1917 in East Chicago, Indiana, he was the son of Martin Otto and Matilda M. Markle Seifert. After graduating from high school, he attended and graduated from Indiana University in 1936 with a degree in Chemistry. He played the sax and clarinet, performing in many bands in the Chicago area in his college days.

Mr. Seifert enjoyed performing magic tricks early on and was seen making cards disappear even at the nursing home.

He loved to fish and traveled all over Illinois, Indiana and Michigan in pursuit of the really big one.

It was on one of these trips where he met his future bride, Ardis Irene Kennedy, in Bangor, Michigan. They married on November 7, 1943 and shared over 66 years together.

He served the US Army from 1941 to 1952. On June 4, 1941, he started basic training in Louisville, KY and was sent to NY to mechanic school. He served as Corporal and was stationed with the 53rd Bomb Squadron in Galveston, TX he served in Blyth, CA under General Patton, making the rank of Sergeant. He them moved on to Air Transport Command in Miami, before being reassigned to Trinidad as Master Sergeant. He serviced planes going to and returning from South Africa. He then served in the Korean War, servicing planes at Randolph Field, San Antonio, TX, until he was honorably discharged in 1952.

Mr. Seifert worked for Braniff Airways in the machine shop, traveling extensively through Central and South America, making sure parts and tools were there if needed, to repair planes for Braniff and a number of other airlines that needed it. He stayed on with Braniff for 2 years after they declared bankruptcy, to inventory all their tools.

One of his passions was collecting a large number of fossils from the Dallas area while he lived in Carrollton. He published one work with staff from SMU. The collection went to the Dallas Museum of Natural History.

He was active in Boy Scouts for many years and had volunteered at the Hope, AR, ors Center.

Mr. Seifert was a very active woodworker, winning many ribbons at the Kerr County Fair. His most interesting pieces were the exploding outhouse and the burned shield of Sir Francis, dragon slayer.

He is predeceased by his parents and a brother, Richard Dick Seifert.

Those left to honor and cherish his memory are his wife, Ardis I. Kennedy Seifert of Kerrville his son, M. Wayne Seifert of Fredericksburg his daughter, Judy Lynn Walton of Mountain Home, Idaho one granddaughter, Debbye Meszaros and two greatgrandchildren, Noah and Amanda Meszaros.

There will be no visitation.

A celebration of his life will be held at Riverfront Community Club House, Kerrville, on Monday, August 16, 2010 at 11:00 AM.

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