Albert James Martenson

Albert Martenson Obit

Albert James Martenson died peacefully at the home he shared with his family in Tucson, Arizona on January 20, 2026.

He was born April 30, 1936, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin to Albert Emil and Charlotte Marie Pope Martenson, joining older sister Jean. He was followed by and raised with sisters and brothers Marjorie, Ned, Charles, Nancy, Lois, Kathleen, and John. Al (Jim or Marty, as he was known by his friends) attended Regis Catholic High School and worked at Uniroyal Tire Factory in Eau Claire, attended McConnell Airline School in Minneapolis. He was hired by the “Old” Frontier Airlines in 1958, then the Army came calling. Al spent most of his military service as a Supply Specialist at Fort Ord, California, then returned to Frontier in Salt Lake City, Utah to continue his 28-year career with the airline. He made lifelong friendships along the way and met his wife DeLois when she was domiciled in SLC as a stewardess for Frontier. They were married in Reno, Nevada on June 8, 1963, where Dee grew up and began their 62-year marriage in Salt Lake City. They transferred to Farmington, New Mexico then Wolf Point, Montana where he was a Station Manager. During their four years in Wolf Point, daughter Michelle was born. In 1970 the family moved to Billings, Montana. In 2021 Al and Dee sold the home they had lived in for 51 years and took the invitation of their daughter and son-in-law, moving to their home in the foothills of the Tucson Mountains in Tucson, Arizona.

Al and Frontier co-worker and friend, Jerry Schimetz started a side business, Al-Jer Post and Pole, cutting and treating fencing poles in the Bull Mountains, north of Billings for ranch suppliers. Another side-venture with friend Kevin Young was M/Y Spring Developing, helping area ranchers get water to their cattle. Toward the end of his 28 years with Frontier Airlines he became a rep for ALEA (Airline Employees Association) and was active until the airline was bought out and ceased to exist. Al chose to go a different direction then and sold health insurance for a couple of years before becoming a dealer for Loomix, selling liquid cattle feed supplement for the next ten years. He became a professional real beard Santa and enjoyed hearing children’s Christmas wish lists in malls from Hayward, California to Norfolk, Virginia with Boise, Billings, Tucson and Muskegan in between. Before losing his sight in one eye from an aneurism, he drove school buses for Billings and Shepherd School Districts and chauffeured the American Legion Scarlets on their road trips.

Al grew up hunting and fishing and he liked to cook (and eat) so being camp cook for an Outfitter in Montana for several years was a natural fit. He loved Gunsmoke on TV, and his favorite movies were “The Great Escape” and “The Big Country”. Dee says he must have watched each of them at least 4 or 5 times a year. Al was a lifelong Packer fan and a Packer shareholder. One if his most prized possessions was a Packer jacket displaying their Super Bowl wins on the sleeves. Last but far from least, he was a lifelong Catholic and his faith was strong. He was active in the Cursillo movement, the TEMPUS program and was an RCIA (now OCIC) team member for many years along with his wife, Dee.

Al is pre-deceased by his parents Albert E. and Charlotte, sisters and brothers-in-law Nancy and Richard Rau, Marge and Gary Warner, Jean and Rich Hermanson, brother Charles Martenson, brother and sister-in-law Ned and Joyce Martenson and infant sister Rosemary Martenson as well as brother-in-law, Steve Rassbach.

He is survived by his wife DeLois (Dee), daughter Michelle (David) Zent, sisters Lois (Cal) Adams, Kathy Rassbach, brother John (Laurie) Martenson, sister-in-law Joane and many nieces and nephews, and will be missed by his grand dog, Jack Frost.

A private family service and burial will be held next month at a Veteran’s Cemetery in Arizona.