Martin B. Failor

Martin B. Failor, 83, of Rhodes, died Sunday, July 5, 2009, at MMSC. Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 8, 2009, at Mitchell Family Funeral Home. Burial will be in Rose Hill Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be on Tuesday from 4:00-6:00 at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Public Library of Des Moines- Iowa Library for the Blind, 100 Locust Street, Des Moines, IA 50309. For condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com. The Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Martin and his family. Phone 641-844-1234. Martin Braley Failor was born on March 18, 1926, in Gilman, Iowa. He graduated from Rhodes High School in 1944. After graduation, he served our country in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, when he was blinded by mortar shell fire. He landed in Okinawa, Japan, on April 1, 1945. He also served on Pavuvu in the Solomon Islands. On August 22, 1959, he married Ruth Beggs in Rhodes. They were married in the home where Martin had lived since age 14. Martin was HAM radio operator W0SLC. He raised chickens, liked to read, and enjoyed doing yardwork and listening to the radio, especially Chicago Cubs games. He was a member of the American Legion and the Blind Veterans Association. He is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Ruth Failor, of Rhodes; his 2 children, Gayla (John) Nancarrow of Plano, TX, and Craig (Carmel) Failor of Oak Park, IL; his 5 grandchildren, Allie and Emily Nancarrow, both of Plano, TX, and Graham, Braley, and Evan Failor, all of Oak Park, IL; his brothers, Gene (Margaret) Failor of Oneida, TN, and his sister-in-law, Juanita Hoeppner of Sutherland, IA. In death, he has rejoined his parents, his brother-in-law, Paul Hoeppner, his brother, Stewart Failor, and his sister, Carol Ann Failor.