ALTON – Alton resident Doug Martin lost the love of his life – Alice – this past week after 52 years of marriage. With her death, Alton lost one of its greatest crusaders, someone who was never shy about standing up for what was right.
Alice Martin, 75, died Tuesday and with her she leaves a legacy of being an alderwoman for Alton.
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Doug said he first met Alice at the YWCA in Alton when a friend was spinning records for a dance. “We caught each others' eye,” he said, admitting it was love at first sight with his future wife.
Doug was a singer and singing at the Gaslight in St. Louis, so he invited her to come out and they hit it off. From that point, their relationship continued to grow.
He said representing people of Alton's Fourth Ward meant everything to her.
“Anytime that someone called about the Fourth Ward with a problem, she was right up trying to find out what was wrong,” Doug said.
Alton Mayor Brant Walker had nothing but kind words to say about Alice Martin.
“I personally liked her tremendously,” Walker said. “She was a good alder person. She was very hands-on, very compassionate and passionate about her ward. She was a tremendous human being. I will miss her a lot. She was an Altonian and she stood up for what was best for the community.”
Doug Martin said his wife helped establish a lot of youth programs in Alton, including some that the Housing Authority still does each year.
“She was magnificent in all she did,” he said. “She was great for the City of Alton.”
When Doug met Alice, he said he was living a fast lifestyle in the music industry and he didn’t like himself. He said she in many ways saved him and helped make him what he became, and pointed him toward his own community service work.
“I am very happy I married her,” he said. “God had to have put us together. If I did something wrong, she would let me know, and if I did something good, she would tell me too.”
Alice and Doug had three kids and Doug said she was best at being a mother and a wife. She also worked as an employee at the state hospital for many years, he said.
“Her family and the City of Alton were her priority,” Doug said. “All the alderman were OK, but I think she outdid the others with her work ethic and overall work.”
Doug Martin closed the conversation with some profound words: “She was the best friend I ever had. I have had friends, but no one could ever touch her. She was a remarkable woman.”
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