Albert D. DeMartin Jr. died April 17, on his 86th birthday. A former mayor of Hamilton Township and superintendent of the Hamilton Township School District, DeMartin was instrumental in the growth of Hamilton from farming community to sprawling suburb.
Born in Trenton, DeMartin attended Trenton schools and was a 1950 graduate of Trenton High School, where he was captain of the football team. He attended Ohio Wesleyan University, where he received his bachelor’s degree and later earned a master’s from Rutgers University.
An educator at heart, DeMartin began his career as a teacher in Trenton. He rose through the ranks, later becoming vice principal and principal in Trenton. In 1979, he became superintendent of the Hamilton Township School District, and was involved in the building of several schools in the township.
DeMartin had a lifelong passion for politics. It started as a young man working as an elevator operator in a congressional office building in Washington, D.C. Later in life, he served Hamilton Township in a variety of ways. He sat on the township planning board, was elected to the Hamilton Township committee and, from that board, became mayor of the township. He served as Hamilton Township business administrator under Mayor Jack Rafferty.
DeMartin also served on the Hamilton Public Library board, Hamilton YMCA Board of Directors and Hamilton Rotary Board of Directors. Throughout his career, he was instrumental in helping build the Hamilton Public Library, the Hamilton YMCA, Hamilton Hospital and Veterans Park.
He was owner and broker of DeMartin Realty, and worked in real estate for many years, including a stint at Simone Realty and founding Pinnacle Realty.
“Our entire community owes a debt of gratitude to Al DeMartin, who contributed to our town in so many ways through public and community service,” Mayor Kelly Yaede said in a statement.
