Harold Marts

CHARLESTON – Harold Ray Marts, 76, of rural Charleston, passed away Tuesday, August 16, 2022 at home, surrounded by family.

The funeral service honoring his life will be held at 12:00 p.m. (NOON) Friday, August 19, 2022 at the Harper-Swickard Funeral Home.  Burial will follow in Rest Haven Memorial Gardens, Mattoon.  Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. (NOON) Friday at the funeral home.

Harold was born February 10, 1946 at Boonville, IN, son of William and Myrtle (Arterberry) Marts.  He married Norma Faye Oakley, April 28, 1967 at Toledo, Illinois.  She preceded him in death, April 19, 2017.  He later married Iva Rosemary (Morrison) Oakley, July 7, 2018 at home; she survives.  Also surviving are his children, Lisa (Rick) Ray of Sigel, Becky (Rex) Shaw of Westfield, and Lee (Christine) Marts of Boonville, IN; her children, Eric (Marcy) Sager of Charleston and Lynda (Bruce) Clapp of Greenup; Nine grandchildren, four step-grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and two step-great-grandchildren.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his step-father, John Phillips, three brothers, Lawrence, Bill, and Vern; and one sister, Doris.

Harold was a farmer at heart.  He loved working on the farm for more than fifty years, many of those years for TerryDale Farms.  Harold was a member of the Central Illinois Tractor Club.  He liked all tractors, but RED tractors held a special place in his heart.  Harold was an expert woodworker, and he could make anything his imagination could think up, out of wood.