Martin Wayne Newkirk

Martin Wayne Newkirk, 84, of Searcy died June 23, 2012. He was born November 20, 1927 in Sentinel, Oklahoma to the late William and Cordie Newkirk.

Mr. Newkirk joined the Marines at the age of 17 and served in WWII and the Korean War. He spent a year in North China and was one of the first Americans to enter the Forbidden City in Peking, China. He spent one year on the Island of Guam. Three months after returning to the states he was stationed aboard the aircraft carrier KERSERGE and went around the world. After the Korean War began he went back in service and served as Machine Gun Squad Leader 1st Marine Division in Korea. After being honorably discharged from the Marines, he moved to Detroit, Michigan and worked for the National Bank of Detroit for three years. While in Detroit he attended the American Institute of Banking for two years. Airplanes always fascinated him and while in high school, he paid two dollars for a plane ride and was hooked. He received a pilot license at the age of twenty-two.

He is survived by a son, Michael Newkirk and wife Marsha; daughter, Connie Newkirk; three grandchildren, Alison Oakes and husband Lance, Brittany Bates and husband Johnny, and Cassie Newkirk; two great-grandchildren, Simon Oakes and Carlen Bates.

Visitation will be 4-6 p.m. Tuesday, June 26, at Searcy-McEuen Funeral Home. Graveside services will be 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, June 27, at Augusta Memorial Gardens in Augusta.