Martin Lorenzo Jeter

Martin Lorenzo Jeter passed away on February 1, 2014 at Seasons Hospice in Rochester, Minnesota at the age of 86.The cause was cancer. Born April 14, 1927 and raised in Ripley, Mississippi, he grew up on the family farm.He volunteered for military service before finishing high school, first with the Coast Guard and later with the Army, obtaining his diploma in the process.His ports of call included China, Korea, and Japan among others in the Orient, and the U.S. Martin learned refrigeration and air conditioning in the service, and he turned this into a career in the refrigeration and air conditioning field, working as a manager for the National Institutes of Health for 25 years and then the State of Louisiana for 20 years.He taught refrigeration and air conditioning at the Columbia Technical Institute for many years.He was an active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization and worked to organize its Voice of America program for a number of years.He was a proud member of the Sons of The American Revolution. Martin married his wife of 64 years, Roni Kajzar, in Washington, D.C., and they lived in that area until 1977, when they moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, raising their three children along the way.After losing their home in New Orleans to Hurricane Katrina, they moved to Rochester, Minnesota in 2005 to be near their daughter, Sharon and Mayo Clinic. Martin is survived by his wife; his two sons, Marty (Sandy) and Chris (Shari); his daughter, Sharon Gentling (Greg) and two grandchildren.He will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Memorials may be made in the name of Martin L. Jeter to Seasons Hospice, 1696 Greenview Drive SW Rochester, Minnesota 55902 The family will have a memorial service at a later date. Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes 5421 Royal Place NW Rochester MN 55901 507-289-3600 www.ranfranzandvinefh.com