Christopher "Chris" George Martin, 55, died at Essa Flory Hospice Center on Sunday, June 18 of lung cancer.  A resident of Conestoga, he was born in Lancaster and has lived in the area all his life. He will be remembered for his quick intelligence, insightful humor and talent for friendship.

As a child, Chris showed an early interest in determining how things work, taking apart radios and small household appliances and putting them back together. He turned his love of electronics and mechanics into a long career in sales of stereo and video systems with local retailers including Lafayette, Watt & Shand, Bob's Boxcar and Wall to Wall. In the late 1970s, Chris owned and operated Envirotech, a commercial cleaning business. In recent years, he worked in sales at Chapman Ford. His outgoing, genial nature and thorough knowledge of his products-from transistors to trucks- won the trust and loyalty of customers.

Chris was a survivor of the last major polio epidemic in the early 1950s. He spent many months in a Lancaster hospital along with many other local children who had been stricken with the virus. When Chris returned home, family friends and neighbors came to the house several times a day to help him move his weak limbs, re-educating his muscles in a regimen of physical therapy devised by Sister Kenny, an Australian nurse. In time, Chris learned to walk again and was left with no aftereffects of the polio.

Chris was the son of Georgia B. Martin and Joseph S. Martin, Jr., both deceased. He attended Sacred Heart Grade School and Hempfield High School. He will be lovingly missed by his companion, Kelly Celesky of Lancaster; sister Tina M. Martin and her partner Mita M. Schaffer of North Bethesda, Maryland; brothers Stephen J. Martin of Lancaster, Andrew P. Martin of Lititz and his wife Joan L. Martin, Gregory P. Martin of Lancaster and Brian D. Martin of Lancaster; niece Kyra N. Martin, nephew Shawn V. Martin and a host of friends.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a memorial service at Charles F. Snyder Funeral Home, 3110 Lititz Pike, Neffsville-Lititz on Saturday, July 8 at 10:00 a.m.  There will be no viewing. Interment will be private. Contributions in Chris' memory may be made to Hospice of Lancaster County, P.O. Box 4125, Lancaster, PA 17604.