Edwin Clay Martin

Edwin Clay Martin died March 23, 2025 after several years of declining health. Born April 1, 1947, in Danville, he was the son of the late George Russell Martin, Sr. and Elsie Clay Gosney Martin. 

He graduated from George Washington High School in 1965, Danville Community College in 1967, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1969. He was a member of West Main Baptist Church in his youth, and very active at The First Baptist Church of Roanoke as an adult. 

He began working for the Virginia Department of Transportation in 1974 in the Bridge Division at the Central Office. He later moved to Vinton and worked at VDOT’s Salem District Structure and Bridge Office, where he was eventually promoted to structural engineer, having primarily designed bridges for replacement. He retired from VDOT in 2008 after 34 years of service. 

In addition to being a brilliant engineer, he was an excellent marksman. He enjoyed watercolors, history, architecture, the many cats he had throughout his life, Bible study, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Cholula Hot Sauce. 

Though he had no children of his own, he was a constant figure in the lives of his niece and nephew and treated them as though they were his own. 

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his sister-in-law, Barbara Smith Martin. He is survived by his brother, George Russell Martin, Jr; his niece, Elizabeth Martin LaMonica; his nephew, Russell W. Martin; his great-nephew, Luke LaMonica; and his great-niece, Belle LaMonica.

The family would like to thank the staff in Memory Care at Commonwealth Assisted Living at Stratford House as well as Commonwealth Hospice, especially Laura Swift, whose kindness has been invaluable to Edwin and the family.

A private interment of ashes will be held by the family at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to a charity of your choice.