Martin Czepiel
August 30, 1944 - February 05, 2013
Wethersfield
Memorial Service: 7:00 pm February 11, 2013 at 34 Beaver Rd. Wethersfield, Ct 06109
Visitation: 5-7 pm February 11, 2013 at 34 Beaver Rd Wethersfield, Ct 06109
Martin Paul Czepiel, 68, of Wethersfield, left us on Tuesday, (February 5, 2013). Martin taught Technology Education at several schools in Connecticut. His excellent teaching skills were recognized by membership in two international honorary organizations, Epsilon Pi Tau, a professional fraternity for education in technology, and Gamma Theta Upsilon, a geographical honor society. Before teaching, he had founded Connecticut Sign Works, which specialized in high quality hand- carved, gold leafed signage. He had also owned an environmentally-sensitive landscaping business. His love of trees led him to become a licensed arborist and tree surgeon. Martin touched everyone who met him. He embraced them and they embraced him back. He was admired and loved for his gentle nature, his unique passion for life, his individualistic spirit and his exuberance. Martin was in awe of the world and had a deep respect for quality, the nature and essence of all things, the mysteries of life and God's creations. Martin was a Renaissance man. He was curious about everything. He loved language and used words playfully and properly. An avid reader, Martin particularly enjoyed books that explored the depths of a subject. His library contains books on history, nature, geography, geology, industrial design, travel and biographies about extraordinary and ordinary people. One of his favorite books was The Pencil: A History of Design and Circumstance by Henry Petroski. Martin was in love with the world and its people, which led to his love of travel. He visited Scotland, England, Portugal and France. He felt equally at ease in the remotest reaches of Scotland as in the hustle and bustle of London, Lisbon and Strasbourg. He loved the American West, with its mountains and rugged terrain, and Cape Cod, with its bike paths and ocean. Martin delighted in humor and in the absurd. He loved Jack Parr, "I kid you not," Jack Benny, Groucho Marx and others. Martin was an ardent New Deal, FDR-type Democrat and he had compassion for the working man as did one of his heroes, Studs Terkel. But above all, Martin loved the arts. Martin is survived by his brothers, John Michael and Ted, his Aunt Evelyn Gallagher, Mary-Ellen Justice and Chester, his cat. "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." Henry David Thoreau In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the address or on the Internet site of: The Nature Conservancy, Attn: Treasury, 4245 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22203-1606 or Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Fenno House, 183 Oyster Pond Road, MS #40, Woods Hole, MA 02543. Memorial services for Martin Paul Czepiel will be held on Monday, Feb. 11, 2013 from 5-7 p.m. at the Farley-Sullivan Funeral Home, 34 Beaver Road, Wethersfield, Connecticut.