Peter Martin

Peter Martin, 82, of Wheelock, Vermont, passed away on October 22, 2026. He was a storyteller to the very end, and he talked incessantly right up until the last.

Peter was born on November 19, 1943, in Richford, Vermont, the son of Reuben and Ada (Ingalls) Martin. He went on to earn a master’s degree in forestry from Paul Smith’s College, an education that shaped both his career and the way he saw the world. He retired from EHV Weidmann in 2009.

Peter was a steward of his woods in Wheelock. He cut his own firewood, tapped his maples each spring, and knew his trees individually, the way some people know their neighbors. 

His interests were too many to list, but a few stand out. In his early years he was a devoted rock hound, and he loved to tell stories about the gobs of Herkimer diamonds he’d found, which he described as being like chocolate chips in cookie dough. He was a collector of unusual things, some of which no one could identify, and he enjoyed that mystery as much as the objects themselves. A master gardener, he could never resist making one more flowerbed in the middle of the lawn.

Peter gave generously of his time to his community. He volunteered at the Old Stone House in Brownington, and served as a director of the board at the West Burke Meal Site. Family history was a lifelong passion, and he was especially proud that Laura Ingalls Wilder was his sixth cousin once removed. In the last years of his life, Peter published many stories of his family history in the Northland Journal, with the help of his granddaughter Gena. Just three days before he passed, he shared one final story with Gena, who wrote it down for him so he could finally get it out of his head. Those stories, like the man who told them, will be treasured by his family for generations.

He is survived by his angel Rita of Wheelock, his kid brother Paul (Christine) of Richford, his sister Marianne of Richford, his sons Dan (Becky) of Wheelock, Lee (Christine) of Stephens City, VA, David of Littleton, NH, Neil (Trisha) of Wetumpka, AL, Chad (Telisa) of Baldwinsville, NY and his little girl Kristi (Danny) of Wheelock. He left behind numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews and his beloved dogs Ginger and Lexi.

He is now with his parents and his favorite dog, Jack.

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