Benson Blake Martin III died Oct. 1, 2009, in San Francisco, Calif. He was 71.

Born in Vicksburg, he was the son of the late Dr. Benson B. Martin Jr. and Mary Morrison Martin of Vicksburg.

Mr. Martin was a graduate of Sewanee Military Academy and graduated from Tulane University in 1960. He served in the Army and was stationed in Korea after the war. He managed the Van Ness Motel in San Francisco and attended Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in San Francisco where he served as a greeter and usher.

He is survived by a sister, Betty Martin Wardlaw and her husband, Bill Wardlaw, of Baton Rouge; two nieces, Beth Wardlaw of Jacksonville, Fla., and Cathy Wardlaw Hodges and her husband, Joel, of Chattanooga, Tenn.; one nephew, Daniel Blake Wardlaw and his wife, Katherine, of Baton Rouge; great-nephews, Kyle Hodges, Brian Hodges and Jay Wardlaw; and a great-niece, Julianna Wardlaw.

Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 2, 2010, at Cedar Hill Cemetery with Monsignor Patrick Farrell, pastor of St. Paul Catholic Church, officiating. Visitation will be at Riles Funeral Home from 9:30 a.m. until the hour of the service.

Memorials may be made to Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 666 Filbert St., San Francisco, CA 94133.