Final Salute

Hume Evans “Mac” McMartin passed from this world into the Lord’s arms, on January 21, 2023. Hume was born to Donald Huie and Dorothy Mary (Stull) McMartin, in Marshalltown, Iowa, on January 31, 1930.

Hume grew up on the family farm near Beaman, Iowa, where they cultivated soybeans, corn, hay, cattle, pigs and chickens, and horse drawn equipment was eventually replaced with farm equipment. As the youngest of two siblings, Hume was full of stories about pelting his older brother, Dean, with corn cobs from a hidden (he thought) location, hunting with his Uncle Martin, making “dog” cookies with his mom (little boy hands resulted in grey cookies), visiting with neighbors, and his pet chameleon and dogs. Hume truly loved people, enjoyed visiting, and walked his Christian faith. Wherever he lived, he read the obituaries, because he said that is where you learn the true history of the people and the area.

After high school graduation in 1947, Hume attended Coyne Electrical School, in Chicago, Ill., where he learned his trade in electrical, radio, and refrigeration. While in Chicago, he roomed with several other students. One roommate from the south would bring fresh peanuts after a visit home, which they fried in butter. Hume said they were the best peanuts he had ever eaten. One time, Hume’s folks sent a check, and rather than pay a bank fee to cash it, he made his way to the stockyard to see if they would cash the check. The manager heard Hume talking and said “Are you Don McMartin’s son? Of course, we will cash your check, I have known Don for a long time and his checks are good here.”

After graduating from Coyne, Hume traveled to Pueblo, Colo., where he had cousins and began working his trade. He was working for the Colorado State Hospital, as an electrical apprentice, when he enlisted with the Navy. At the hospital, Hume said that when the refrigeration leaked in the utilidors they would hold their breath and run to the valve to shut the system down before they could continue working.

Hume served in the U.S. Navy, as a Seabee in a Mobile Construction Battalion Unit, as a construction electrician from 1951 to 1954, and is where he gained the nickname “Mac.” His tour included San Diego, Calif.; Port Hueneme Oxnard, Calif.; Davisville, Rode Island; Casablanca, French Morocco; Port Lyautey (Kenitra), Morocco; Cap May, New Jersey; Shelburne, Nova Scotia; and Boston, Mass. (Farragut). On leave with buddies in 1952, he passed through London and noticing a large crowd they stopped, found their way to the front, and discovered it was Queen Elizabeth’s coronation parade. He also greatly enjoyed his visit in Scotland on this same trip. He is a lifetime member of the Beaman, Iowa, American Legion.

After an honorable discharge from the Navy, Mac went back to work in Colorado before visiting a navy buddy, Freddie Sandstrom, in Montana. Mac drove his 1948 Willy’s Jeep to Roy, Mont., where Freddie introduced him to the Rife family, and he eventually married Claudia Rife, on August 4, 1957. While working in Montana, Hume worked as an IBEW Journeyman Electrician out of the Glasgow Hall, and eventually began working for Service Electric and the Kottsick family. The McMartin family lived in an 8-foot by 42-foot mobile home that was moved to the various towns where construction projects were occurring. Mac moved his family to Lynnwood, Wash., in 1964, due to the steady and booming construction occurring along the I-5 corridor and to reconnect with Service Electric. In 1967, Mac relocated the family to Granite Falls, Washington, and then in 1990 moved to Dayton, Wash., to raise sheep.

Hume is survived by his wife of 65 years, Claudia Evelyn McMartin; his daughter, Peggy Sue Williamson; his son, Paul Evans (Denise) McMartin; grandchildren, Sarah (Tyler) Ovard, Evan (Alice) McMartin, Aislinn Williamson, and Duncan Williamson; step-grandchildren, Steven Mortimer and Matthew Mortimer; sister-in-law, Janet (Jim) Rife; great-grandchild Nora Ovard; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends, spanning multiple generations and the breadth of the U.S. Hume is preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Dorothy McMartin; brother, R. Dean McMartin; mother and father-in-law, Winnie and Earl Rife; sisters-in-law, Barbara (Dean) McMartin, Alice Rife; Lila (Edsel) Williamson, Bonnie (Dale) Sandstrom, and Deloris (John) Rife; brothers-in-law, Orin “Jim” Rife, John R. Rife, Edsel Williamson, and Dale Sandstrom.

No matter where Hume traveled, he met someone that he knew, and he never met a dog that he didn’t like.

Memorial contributions may be made payable to The Memorial Foundation — Compass Care/End of Life and sent in care of Brookside Funeral Home (P.O. Box 1267, Moxee, WA 98936), who is caring for the family. Memories and condolences may be shared at www.brooksidefuneral.com.