Doug Martin

Doug Martin, age 54, of Boscobel and formerly of Gays Mills, passed away suddenly Tuesday, June 1, 2021, at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse due to complications of pneumonia after a Courageous battle with ALS. Doug was born December 28, 1966, to Dennis and Sandra (Derrickson) Martin of Blue River, Wis., the eldest of three boys. He attended Riverdale Schools until age 14. His father passed away in 1979. In 1981, his mother remarried Mark Lester of Gays Mills. Doug graduated from North Crawford High School in 1985. He attended Southwest Technical College in Fennimore, graduating in 1987 with a degree in Auto Mechanics. He went to work for Frank Orchards in Gays Mills. In 1988, he married his high school sweetheart, Tina Helgerson. In 1990, he went to work for Sunrise Orchards. In 1996, he went to work for Town and Country Sanitation in Boscobel where he worked for the next 22 years before having to retire due to his illness. Doug loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing and gardening. You could see him in the evening, after work, in the vegetable or flower garden. People would tell him he worked too hard, but it was his way of relaxing and he loved to see people point and say how beautiful it looked. He was a founding member of the Gays Mills Area Sportsmens Club, and served as treasurer for many years. He wasn’t one to sit around, but when he did he liked to watch old westerns; John Wayne was his favorite. In 2017, shortly after being diagnosed with ALS, he was gifted a trip of a lifetime to Alaska, one of the places he dreamed of seeing. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Tina; a son, Jason (Dylan Krause) of Genoa and a daughter, Nichelle (Nathan Swiggum) of Soldiers Grove; one grandson, Karson and one granddaughter, Emma, whom he loved very much. He is also survived by his mother, Sandra Lester of Viroqua; two brothers, Dan (Amy), Darren (Michele), his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Donald and Rosemary Helgerson all of Gays Mills; sister-in-law, Trina Shaner (Todd Johnson) of Viroqua; two nieces; one nephew; aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Dennis; stepfather, Mark Lester; grandparents, Gomer and Rose Martin and Francis and Ruby Derrickson. A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 12, 2021, at Vosseteig Funeral Home in Gays Mills. Pastor Nile Sandeen will officiate. Visitation will be held Friday, June 11, from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Vosseteig Funeral Home in Gays Mills. Additional visitation will be held Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until the time of the service at the funeral home. Online Condolences may be expressed at www.vossfh.com. Vosseteig Funeral Home in Gays Mills is serving Doug's family. 325 Sunset Ridge Ave. Gays Mills, WI 54631 608-735-2100