Name: Dennis Martin
Office for the year 06-07: Secretary
Date of Birth: 11 June, 1942
Suburb: Ridgehaven
Family (wife/children): Second time around the Hirdy-Girdy, three children by my first marriage: Monique (34 years old), Todd (37), Regan (42). Elaine, my wife, has two children from her former marriage: Trish (40) and Mark (43), with eight grandkids between us.
Occupation(s) (past and present: Before I retired at age 56 (taking a redundancy pay out), I worked 40 years in the meat industry where I started off as an apprenticed everything but mostly a sh-t kicker working in most aspects of the industry from livestock markets, meat carcass exports, boning rooms to byproducts, and retired a middle management nobody. One year for the Burnside Council as a truck driver, four years as a contract shed and veranda erector. Now, thank heavens, I gladly choose retirement any day over the previous prostitution of the work place.
When did you become a Mason and why? In the early spring of 1999 at a private BBQ at our place in Ridgehaven, Graham Dunn must have seen in me what ever it was that Freemasonry was out there looking for in the way of new candidates. I read material made available to me and after Elaine and I attended a social function of the Earl of Chester Lodge, I decided to give it a go.
The reason I decided to join, it seemed at the time a good way of putting something back into a system, although I knew almost nothing of Freemasonry just that they were a good and charitable organization. It did not take much coaching from the boys to persuade me to take that step; it seemed to be just what I needed to fill a gap in my life, the rest is history!
Other Lodges you are or have been a member of: None.
Your favourite movies or television shows: Sci-fi, action, blood and guts, good doco’s, comedy, raunchy sex, westerns (none spaghetti), epics, mysteries, ancient historical. I hate musicals and chick flicks and all
Elvis Presley movies.
What sort of music do you like? Blues to
Beatles to
Bach. I hate head banger and rap.
What magazines do you regularly read? Recreational Aviation Australia, TV program and anything with a Sudoku puzzle in it, plus the odd Woman’s Day in the doctors surgery waiting to give a blood sample and have my heart checked. Favourite writings I enjoy include
Bryce Courtney,
Dan Brown, the
Concise Oxford, along with
the chap that compiles the appendage to the monthly EOC Summons, I think its called "Bridging the Gap" or something.
What sports teams do you follow? Adelaide Crows, and anyone that plays against a Victorian team!
What is the motto you live by? In life which is only froth and bubbles
Two things stand like stone
Kindness in another’s troubles
And courage in your own.
What are your ambitions in life? "To live respected and died regretted!" and leave an eight thousand dollar overdraft on my credit card.
Brief story of your life: The first third was full of dreams, ambitions and good things to come.
The second third I knew it all and was wise beyond my years!
And now I can’t believe how dumb I’ve got and how I’ve lost all the smarts I once had, the only wealth I claim these days is the company of my friends and the love of my wife!
