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World traveller Holly Martin celebrates 100 years

From New York City to New Zealand, the Vernon resident has enjoyed plenty of travelling in her 100 years
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Holly Martin was born Oct. 16

Holly Martin (née Hamilton) was born Oct. 16, 1916 in Red Deer, Alta.

She married Bill, her high school sweetheart, Sept. 30, 1939, six days before he left for the Second World War. She wasn’t to see him again for more than five years!

Holly and Bill had one daughter, Dale, in 1957, and then moved to Vernon in 1959 where Bill Martin worked as sales manager at the Vernon News. In Vernon, they had their second daughter, Jane.

In 1971, when the Vernon News was purchased and commercial printing discontinued, they moved to North Vancouver.

Holly started travelling in later life. She and Bill travelled to Europe to visit war memorials and then when Bill passed away in 1990 she began to travel with her children. She has always been a good sport and when Dale took her down the Oregon Coast on a camping trip when she was 74, she happily slept under a canopy in the back of a pickup truck!  Jane’s husband Keith works for External Affairs and so Holly was able to travel to various postings in New Zealand, Ottawa, Vienna and New York City.

Holly moved back to Vernon when she was 93 and took up residence in Canterbury Court. She recently celebrated her 100th birthday party with many friends and family in attendance.