Thursday, April 23, 2015
Our family, the Standifirds, are grateful for our association, in various capacities, over the years, with Doc Martin. First, at the A. F. Clinic, where Doc Martin delivered our two youngest children, and later as the Coach for two of our sons, Erik and Kurt, as they played for him on his Colts team. We were thrilled to find that Doc Martin was interested in building boys above that of winning Basketball games. He always seemed to pick up a couple of players that other teams didn’t want, and began to build their self esteem through basketball skills. Our two boys thrived, learning from Doc Martin about teamwork, fair play, self esteem, giving your best, etc. It was a growth experience, for them, which benefited and lifted our entire family. He gave our son, Erik, a basketball skills book, that he has passed on to his son. When Doc Martin left the Clinic, and set up the A.F. Hospital Emergency Room, our boys never went to a doctor’s office again, including their mission physicals. If they were ill, they would call the E. R. Room and ask if Doc Martin was on duty. If not, they would wait until he was, even a couple of days, until they could see him. He fostered the practice by always anxiously greeting them and attending to their needs. Once, our oldest son, Erik, went to the E. R. Room and Doc Martin wasn’t on duty. Whoever he saw said, “We have doctors here”. Erik replied, “There is only one doctor and that is Doc Martin.” Then he left. When our youngest daughter was born, Doc Martin was the attending physician. We named her Paige, after one of Doc Martin’s daughters.
How we love Doc (Coach and Friend) Martin. Our lives are eternally better for knowing him.
Vance and LesLee Standifird
