CLARE - A longtime Webster County public servant died Monday.
Emmett ''Skip'' Martin, 78, died at his farm in rural Clare.
A veteran of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Martin saw service during the Korean War.
Since 2000, Martin helped his fellow veterans as one of three members of the Webster County Veterans Affairs Commission.
''Skip was a very dedicated man to the veterans and his family,'' said Ron Campbell, one of Martin's colleagues on the commission. ''If something would come up he would work really hard to solve it.''
Campbell said he and Martin knew each other for more than 20 years.
Recently, Martin was one of several people behind an effort to establish a veterans' memorial in Clare.
''He served his community and county very well,'' Campbell said.
Russ Naden, who became director of the Veterans' Affairs Department in January, said Martin had been ''a lot of help'' to him.
As a commissioner, Martin conducted a lot of outreach to area veterans, often helping them fill out the necessary paperwork to receive assistance from the department, Naden said.
''He will be missed,'' Naden said. ''He was a good guy.''
Prior to his work with the VA commission, Martin served on the Webster County Board of Supervisors for eight years, from 1992 to 2000.
As a farmer, Martin once operated one of the largest sheep operations in Webster County, having shown animals at the Iowa State Fair for decades.
Funeral services for Martin will be at 10:15 a.m. on Tuesday at Laufersweiler-Sievers Funeral Home and at 11 a.m. at St. Matthew's Church in Clare.
Contact Jesse Helling at (515) 573-2141 or jhelling@messengernews.net