George Martens

George R. Martens, age 82, of Wayne passed away peacefully on Monday, February 19, 2024.

George was born in Hackensack, NJ on May 31, 1941 to George and Marjorie Martens. He was raised in Elmwood Park, NJ. He graduated from Bergen Technical High School with the Class of 1959. George furthered his education at Fairleigh Dickinson University where he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in 1970 and his Master’s Degree with the Class of 1975. 

George patriotically served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and was Honorably discharged in March of 1966. 

As a child, George proudly worked alongside his father delivering milk in the early morning before the start of his school day. After graduating high school, he began his career with Western Electric. After receiving his college degree, George's work experience and education led him to AT&T. His career spanned more than 35 years positioned in Network Services, Human Resources, Compensation and Benefits. George was well respected by his peers and was dedicated to his profession.

George prided himself in his meticulously manicured lawn, spending weekends tending to and ensuring its pristine condition. When he wasn’t enjoying the outdoors, he could often be found carving intricate decoy ducks and honing his trap shooting skills. An avid reader, particularly on the subject of U.S. history, he would regale his friends and family with entertaining historical stories. George enjoyed various hobbies over the years such as model trains and airplanes, maritime battleships and the like. His passion for learning in retirement was shared with the many friends he made at the Wayne Library, and his afternoons often spent viewing CNBC, Bloomberg and other finance resources. In his downtime, George enjoyed classic Westerns and auto racing, finding joy in the thrill of the races and the nostalgia of classic Western films. His true joy was watching his beloved grandsons playing basketball and excelling academically.

George met his beloved wife Rena on a blind double-date and after several months of dating George proposed to Rena. They were married on September 21, 1963 at the Third Christian Reformed Church in Paterson. Their marriage was blessed with three beloved children George, Laura, and David. 

George was the devoted, loyal and loving husband for over sixty years to the love of his life Rena; the proud and dedicated father of George Martens, Laura Martens and Scott DiPatria of Kinnelon, and David Martens and his wife Andrea of Wayne. The proud grandfather of Reid and Devin Martens and uncle and great-uncle to many nieces and nephews. George was predeceased by his parents George and Marjorie Martens and his brother Robert Martens (d. 2019).

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Wayne Memorial First Aid Squad would be greatly appreciated.