City of Oaks Funeral Home & Cremation
Obituary
Russell Howard Martin, Sr.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Age 81.
Died 03/03/2025.
Russell Howard Martin, Sr., 81, of Clayton, NC, passed away peacefully on March 3, 2025, after a brief health battle. He was surrounded by his loving family in his final moments, a testament to the deep bonds he built throughout his life.
Born in Bryn Mawr, PA, on September 28, 1943, Russell was the beloved son of Ruth Gaskins and Eddie Gibson, both of whom preceded him in death.
Russell met the love of his life, Sylvia Bolden, at Mount Zion Baptist Church in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, PA, where they sang together in the choir. Their shared love of music blossomed into a lifelong partnership, and they were married on May 23, 1964. Together, they built a home in Philadelphia, where they lived for 52 years, creating a lifetime of cherished memories. In 2021, Russell and Sylvia moved to North Carolina to be closer to their children and grandchildren, continuing their journey of love and family.
Russell was a man of deep integrity, strength, and kindness. With over 30 years of sobriety, he was a dedicated member of Alcoholics Anonymous, where he found purpose in supporting others on their paths to recovery. His commitment to the fellowship and the lessons he shared left a lasting impact on many.
He began every day with moments of self-reflection and prayer, grounding himself in his faith. He would greet others with a warm welcome of peace and blessings, embodying the love and kindness he carried in his heart. Russell devoted himself to God and his spiritual journey, always striving to live a life of purpose and faith.
He found joy in life’s simple pleasures—fishing, watching old Westerns, testing his knowledge with trivia, and listening to the smooth sounds of jazz, Stevie Wonder, and his favorite version of 'Total Praise' sung by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, which filled his home with warmth and nostalgia. In Philadelphia, he had a passion for gardening, taking great pride in growing tomatoes that he happily shared with his neighbors. His generosity and green thumb made him a beloved presence in his community.
Family was at the heart of Russell’s life. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He is survived by his loving wife, Sylvia Martin; his sons, Russell Martin, Jr. (Cindy) and David Martin; and his cherished granddaughters, Georgia and Ella Martin, who affectionately called him Pop-pop. He is also survived by his sister, Carol, and many extended family members. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sisters, Linda and Nora.
Russell’s warmth, wisdom, and unwavering support touched the lives of all who knew him. His legacy will live on in the hearts of his family, friends, and the many lives he influenced.
A memorial service to celebrate Russell’s life will be held on March 22, 2025, at 11:00 AM at First Missionary Baptist Church, located at 304 N. Lombard Street, Clayton, NC 27520. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in his honor to Alcoholics Anonymous or a charity of choice.
May he rest in peace, embraced by the love he so freely gave.
For additional information or for service details, please reach out to the family directly.
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City of Oaks Cremation and Funeral Home is a full-service funeral home in Raleigh, serving all of North Carolina and beyond. We provide an alternative to costly funeral homes and every day we help families in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and all over North Carolina make simple, affordable funeral arrangements.
Simply having to reach out to a funeral home can feel overwhelming. Our goal is to simplify the entire funeral home experience and make the process as easy as possible. We hope to eliminate any unnecessary surprises by publishing our total cost and the services we provide directly on our website. All of our obituaries are provided free of charge as a way to help families celebrate and commemorate the lives of their loved ones.
Our Promise
Apples to Apples
Just like all other licensed funeral homes in North Carolina, City of Oaks Cremation, LLC is regulated by the NC Board of Funeral Service.
The same laws that apply to the big corporate funeral homes also apply to the modest independently owned firms like ours. All crematories in North Carolina, regardless of who owns them, are inspected annually by the state and must adhere to the same rules and laws.
Genuine Care
We're committed to providing families within our community unsurpassed service before, during and after the time of loss.
Our staff will provide clear communication to your family through each step as we move forward from the original phone call notifying us of a death to the time we deliver the urn back to your family. We will treat your family with the utmost respect, as we honor the wishes of your loved one.
We promise to make this process affordable and as endurable as possible.
State Wide
Our Funeral Home is located in Wake County NC; however, we provide our services to families throughout the entire State.
Unlike other funeral homes, we don't charge an additional mileage fee. Regardless of what county you live in, we can help your family with making simple, affordable funeral arrangements. From Asheville to Wilmington, we're proud to help families statewide.
Our Services
$1196.75
Nobody likes surprise costs added in at the last minute. We guarantee you will not find any hidden charges here. We include everything you need for a simple or direct cremation. Simple, affordable and reliable. We have not changed the cost of our direct cremation service since we opened City of Oaks in 2012.
$2875.66
We offer the option of choosing how you receive your loved ones remains. Selecting our Direct Cremation with Solidified Remains option is a beautiful way to transform cremated remains into 40-60 “stones” that you can hold.
$1917.84
City of Oaks Funeral Home and Cremation provides an affordable cremation option with onsite visitation. Nobody likes surprise costs added in at the last minute. We guarantee you will not find any hidden charges here. Simple, affordable and reliable.
$2497.50
An immediate burial has the same end result as a traditional burial; however, we have eliminated the extra (sometimes unnecessary) services prior to getting to the cemetery. Not everyone wants an open casket for viewing or a limousine for the family. Despite the term immediate, we can move as fast as you need or as slow as you like. This option simply allows you to save money by eliminating some of the fancy extras at the funeral home.
$6081.48
We offer the same traditional funeral services as the big corporately owned funeral homes in the area; however, we cost about half the amount. You might consider a traditional funeral service if your family is looking for an open casket visitation, a traditional church service or a funeral service in the funeral home's chapel. A traditional funeral service can be altered to fit the needs of your family.
$3033.75
This establishment is one of a select number of funeral homes who meet the criteria for providing green funeral service by the Green Burial Council; a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization working to encourage environmentally sustainability in the field of funeral service. Our Green options allow for a funeral to take place without the use of toxic and non-biodegradable materials/chemicals.
$2640.59
As an alternative to traditional cremation, City of Oaks Funeral Home also offers Aquamation. The Aquamation process, often referred to as alkaline hydrolysis, uses a solution of water and potassium hydroxide to facilitate natural decomposition.