William Fred Martin

FULTON – William Fred Martin passed away on June 3, 2026, at the age of 89. He was a kind, caring, and compassionate man who always put others before himself. William, known as Bill by friends and family, was born in Camden, New Jersey, went to High School near Buffalo at Amherst High School, and lived briefly in Worcester, Mass as a young person. He spent 2 years at Adirondack Community College and became a registered nurse, and spent many years of his career in long-term care as a nursing administrator and training nurse’s aides.

For over 35 years, he served as the voice of the Oswego High School Marching Buccaneers and the host of the Pageant of Champions Marching band show which he was instrumental in organizing. He was a lifelong Buffalo Bills football fan, a Syracuse Orange fan, and in his mid to later years, a Florida State Athletics fan. He was an active member of Minetto United Methodist Church for over 50 years.

Dad was a lover of music, loved to sing, and played drums in his high school band. He loved telling really bad ” Dad jokes” and enjoyed regaling the family with the same ones over and over for years. Those who knew him would also say he never was at a lack for words, and loved to tell long winding stories. We laughed together a lot as he would frequently get in the wrong car, forget where he parked, and never could quite find the Lake Store in the Adirondacks. When he passed, the family knew my Mom was there to greet him in the hereafter using the same phrase she did on the day they met: “Where the hell have you been!?”

He is survived by his sons David and Jeffrey, David’s wife Kathleen, and their two sons, his grandsons, Matthew and Ryan Martin Matthew’s wife, Amanda, and their daughter, his great-granddaughter, Ellie, and Ryan Martin’s longtime partner, Sarah Woodworth. He was a good man, a good father, an active community member, and a light to those who knew him. We will all miss him. May you be at peace, Dad.

Funeral Services will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, June 20th, at the Minetto United Methodist Church, with a luncheon to follow in the fellowship hall.

Arrangements are under the caring guidance of Nelson Funeral Home.