Walter A. Martin
Walter A. Martin died Friday, Dec. 7, 2007
at Ridgecrest Healthcare Center. He was 92.
Funeral services were held Dec. 10 at the
Trona Foursquare Church. Pastor Mel Wilson
officiated.
Walter was born Jan. 10, 1915, in Joplin,
Mo. He came to the high desert in 1937 when
he helped build the tungsten mill at Atolia,
Calif.
In 1940, Walter found work at the
American Potash and Chemical Company in
Trona and moved his wife Annabelle and their
one-year old son Larry to Crumville (now
Ridgecrest). Walter worked at the Trona plant
until his retirement on Feb. 1, 1980. When
World War II began for the United States in
December 1941, Walter took steps to join the
service. Although he passed his physical,
American Potash wanted to keep him at the
plant and arranged for him to be classified 2A.
Over the years, Walter lived in Crumville,
Poison Canyon, Trona, Onyx, Lake Isabella
and for the past 11 years in Ridgecrest.
In the early 1950s, he was on the
bargaining committee for the International
Union of Mine and Mill Workers (CIO). Walter
served on the Searles Lake Federal Credit
Union board of directors for 35 years from
1954 to November 1989. Over the years, he
owned and operated various used car lots in
Trona.
Family was always important to Walter. In
1999 he and Annabelle celebrated their 60th
wedding anniversary surrounded by his four
sons, their wives and numerous
grandchildren.
Walter is survived by his wife Annabelle of Ridgecrest, sons Larry of Ridgecrest, Wallace of Portland, Ore., Walter of Cookeville, Tenn., and Jim of Ridgecrest; four daughters-in-law; and 42 grandchildren,
great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Flowers are acceptable but donations may be sent to Searles Valley Cemetery Association,
P.O. Box 171, Trona, CA 93592.

Arrangements were provided by Holland & Lyons Mortuary.

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Walter A. Martin
December 12, 2007

NOTE: Mostly correct I guess, EXCEPT, Walter was born in Cave Springs, Mo., at the Martin home bordering the Missouri and Kansas state lines.

Steve Turner 2025

November 2 at 10:08 AM ·

This is a rare c. 1910 real photo postcard (rppc) for Atolia, California. Atolia, California which is now a ghost town. It once was one of the world's most important tungsten mining locations. It was located in the northwestern part of San Bernardino County near the border of Kern County and the town of Randsburg. Tungsten deposits were discovered in the area around 1904, and the Atolia Mining Company was established in 1905. The town's name is a contraction of the names of two of the pioneer operators, Atkins and DeGolia. This rppc is part of my collection of vintage Southern California ephemera and photography which encompasses all aspects of the region's development with strong focus on architecture, real estate, mining, transportation and culture. The Mojave Desert region is very well represented and is a strong interest. More examples may be seen on my Instagram page @steveturnerantiquarian

Filed for marriage license, Joplin Globe, June 27, 1964, My very best friend:

 James Michael Shaw 21 Galena Kan., and Seva Marie Ogle 18, Joplin, Mo.

Line a Day Journal

 

December 8, 1941

 Way too cool -- Zingo's is a nice touch too

Bakersfield Theme guitar built by V8 Custom Guitars. The Bigsby vibrato arm is a salute to Oildale and its oil. Eugene Moles Facebook

Best of times movie

Pulled from a "Vintage Taft" website; year of post not noted.

I devoted an entire chapter to that movie in my book, Kern County Sports Chronicles, published in 2013

 Betty Jo Jacks

 ·June 11 ·

Here's some of my personal photos from when I was involved in the movie The Best of Times.

Best of Times was filmed in Taft.

I had my dog, my truck and myself in the movie.

I traveled with him down to Moorpark for continuity.

I got to know Robin Williams while filming the movie.

My dog Buck actually got a credit in the movie.

At the end, it says dog Buck.

The pictures of Buck with football players we're taking down in LA.

This was almost a year after the filming in Taft.

They called and asked if I still had the dog and could I bring him down and get some film rolls, so they could put him into the movie in more places.

They wanted him to be the mascot.

I was told by the sound guy when I met him when I first became an extra on the movie to never let my dog be seen on the Bakersfield side.

And if I did, that my dog would end up getting a part in the movie, and it happened.

I didn't avoid going to the all call when we had to be on both sides as the crowd, but I did not let my dog be seen.

I stayed in the back, but when I was on the Taft side I always made sure my dog got seen.

When they did some previews of the movie everybody liked my dog so much they wanted to see more of my dog in the movie.

Buck lived 14 years, he was born in Riverton Wyoming in 1980.

I brought him out to Taft California in 1983 and then we landed in the movie Best of Times, I was at Wyoming girl with a dream of going to Hollywood and getting in a movie and it happened.

I brought Buck back to Wyoming to bury him in 1994.

Buck is buried in the Tensleep Wyoming Foothills, and I didn't know one day I would end up living back here where he is buried.

I didn't move back to Wyoming until 2012.

If you have any questions about the movie or Robin Williams, I would love to share them.

Betty Jo's chow-husky mix Hollywood star canine, Buck, in front of robin Williams on sidewalk

 Gitcha sum Merle