David Martin

David Robert Martin, born David Robert Zisowitz on October 5, 1944, died of congestive heart failure in Lyndonville, Vermont on September 12th, 2026. Raised in Queens, NY, David was a born tinkerer. As a child he was given the freedom to explore all of the tools in his father Sam’s workshop, wiring a doorbell through his family’s house from the kitchen to the workshop so his mother Mae could tell Sam when to come down for dinner. For most of his childhood he thought he was going to be a scientist, but life took him in unexpected directions.

In his early 20’s David found himself at loose ends. On New Year’s Eve 1966 his girlfriend suggested they go to Englewood, NJ to a lively party at the Patch house. There, David met Penny Patch and Chris Williams, and by the end of the night he was invited to come to Northeastern Vermont to build an A-frame with them and friends on East Haven Mountain. Penny and David got to know each other first as friends, a friendship that remained at the core of their 56 year love affair.

In 1974, David, Penny and Seth left Toad Hall for Russo’s shed, then Janet’s barn in Lost Nation, and a brief stint in Upstate New York where their daughter Lizzie was born. Then the four moved back to Lost Nation where, in one season, David built a 3-story house for them.

Lost Nation was a vital community of backwoods hippies, decidedly free of back-to-the-land romanticism. There, amidst the challenge of daily survival, he developed lifelong friends, an

artistic community, and a deep connection with the northern forest.

Everything David came across might be made into pieces of art, be they broken down tractor parts, old sewing machines, copper telephone wire, or discarded wood. Beloved summer vacations on the remote coast of Maine saw him carting back rocks, shells, driftwood, and lobster trap bits. He saw spirits in these objects, using them to construct his many creatures.

For over 20 years, David was also a teacher in St. Johnsbury that every kid longed for: empathetic, full of humor, and with a love of exploration. His joy was infectious to little children. While co-teaching with Kitty (Beattie) Toll at the Middle School he was ushered into publishing his first children’s stories by longtime friends Joe Spieler and Amy Ehrlich. This gave him the opportunity to take early retirement and focus on writing. Between the 1990s and 2026 he published approximately 35 books for young readers, many written due to his work with Reading Recovery. He often performed for local kids, telling his stories, juggling, and singing with his guitar. His work with CLIF (Children’s Literacy Foundation) brought him to schools all over the northeast. David served on the Cobleigh Library board for ten years, playing an important role in getting the first bookmobile going.

David loved life so very much. He found joy in all of the people and places surrounding him and was brought to tears more often from smiles than from sadness. He cherished his relationship with each of his grandchildren. He played sports, games, and make-believe with them. He wrote them stories and sang them songs. He carried them as babies, danced with them, and took them outside whenever they visited. He built them any number of objects.

His love of sports was present lifelong, beginning with games of stoopball and stickball in Jamaica, Queens, and a strong memory of listening to Bill Mazeroski’s famous home run to beat the Yankees in 1960 while sitting in a barber chair. His own sandlot career was highlighted by his time playing softball for the Burke Hollow Athletic Club. He took up different sports over the years including cycling, cross country skiing, tennis, and running, causing him to need multiple joint replacements.

David and his soulmate Penny Patch, lived a rich and joyful life together, full of music, dancing, listening and laughing. They supported each other through each change in their lives, constantly adding to their circle of friends. His life was full. A vocal member of the local Indivisible group, he

was always fighting injustice. David, with his many old friends and new, worked to protect our Democracy. He was a founding member of The Whistle Pig Riot Brass Band, singing and playing music in support of those who need protection.

He always showed up for a friend or neighbor or family member in need of a move, or a bed, or a song. You could always tell a David Martin job - solid, thoughtful, and fastened tightly, often with a whimsical flourish.

David’s family wishes to thank all of his medical care teams: Dartmouth Hitchcock Advanced Heart Failure, Corner Medical, Caledonia Home Health and Hospice.

David is survived by his wife Penny Patch; children Seth Williams and Lizzie Martin; brother Ben Martin; grandchildren Luna and Jude Williams, Winslow and Graham Porter. There is so much more family he loved as friends and friends he loved as family.

A Celebration of Life will be held at The York Street Meeting House, 153 York St, Lyndonville, VT 05851, at 2pm on Saturday, October 24, 2026. In lieu of flowers, checks and donations can be sent to The Cobleigh Public Library, P.O. Box 147, Lyndonville, VT 05851; or Indivisible St. Johnsbury (https://www.indivisiblestjohnsbury.org/).

Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.CaledoniaLifeServices.com