Dan Martin applied his creative touches on floral arrangements for grand weddings, parties and special events for 53 years.
Three clients in particular stand out. The largest funeral order he ever received was for the service of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in April 1968. More than 20 years later, Dan Martin Flowers of Buckhead was tapped to serve as the florist for the local production of "Fried Green Tomatoes." He befriended Fannie Flagg, the actress and author of the book and movie screenplay.
Then there was the time in the '70s when Evel Knievel came to town for an event at the Hyatt Regency, where Mr. Martin ran a boutique. The florist went full throttle, crafting a floral arrangement of a motorcycle that hung from the ballroom ceiling. Each table bore the same design.
The stuntman, the story goes, was practically brought to tears. Mr. Martin quipped that he did not shed a tear till he received the bill, recalled his sister, Dr. Mary Martin Devlin of Grillon, France.
"He was full of wit," she said.
Daniel Lee "Dan" Martin of Atlanta died Wednesday of heart failure at Piedmont Hospital. He was 81. A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at H.M. Patterson & Son, Spring Hill Chapel.
This florist grew up in East Point, one of five boys and a girl. He graduated from West Fulton High, served in the Air Force during the Korean War, then returned to Atlanta to earn a living working with flowers and plants, something he'd loved ever since he was a tyke.
When he was 9, a neighbor gave him and his sister a bushel of daffodils that they planted in a nearby field. The siblings bundled the yellow beauts in bouquets, then sold them for 5 cents each to buy a birthday present for their mother at Woolworths.
This designer was known internationally for his creative mind and color coordination. He was a certified master designer and certified judge for national competitions. He gave seminars on flower arranging in dozens of states and four countries. He was featured on ABC-TV's "20/20″ in the mid-1980s, and was the Florists Transworld Delivery judge for the 1989 Interflora World Cup Competition in Tokyo.
Locally, he decorated the Governor's Mansion for the holidays and competed in contests such as the Southeastern Flower Show and the Atlanta Flower Show. He had a favorite flower.
"The anemones," said Elizabeth Stephens, now co-owner of the shop with Vani Ramachandran. "He also loved carnations, too. He's been a wonderful Atlanta florist, whether it was for grand openings, weddings, special events or everyday events."
Flagg, the author and actress, stayed at Mr. Martin's home in Pine Mountain during the filming of "Fried Green Tomatoes" in Georgia.
"He was a sweet guy and had a fabulous talent for arranging flowers," she said. "I came down and spent Thanksgiving with him in Pine Mountain. He was a dear friend."
When Dr. Devlin ordered arrangements in France and said that she wanted to use a shop in Atlanta, folks knew of whom she spoke: her brother, the Buckhead designer.
"He was one of the most creative people I've ever known in my life. I would watch him do floral arrangements, and it would take my breath away."
Additional survivors include nieces and nephews.
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