Martin Dodell passed away peacefully on August 14, 2026, at age 90. Born in Vienna, Austria on February 26, 1936, he along with his sister Ruth and parents Herman and Clara escaped Europe by steamship to Havana, Cuba. They lived there for about two years until obtaining a United States sponsorship. Emigrating through Ellis Island, an Immigration Officer Americanized his name to Morris. Years later, he formally changed his name to Martin.

Marty grew up in the Bronx and earned a BS in Aeronautical Engineering from NYU. He left behind the cold winters of New York by moving to Manhattan Beach to work at Douglas Aircraft Corporation. While on a Mammoth Mountain ski trip, he met Lora and they would eventually marry. After children Aaron and Rebecca were born, the family would settle in Rancho Palos Verdes in 1977.

He loved both airplanes and trains, attending many airshows with Aaron. Soccer was his favorite sport and Marty enjoyed watching the World Cup games. Education was a passion of Marty’s serving as a six-year PVPUSD School Board Member and represented the school district on the California State Board of Education. He also served two terms with the Peninsula Education Foundation, a trustee for the SoCal Regional Occupational Center, and Board member for the South Bay Credit Union. His love for volunteering included the Western Museum of Flight, the WWII SS Lane Victory cargo ship birthed in San Pedro, member of Peninsula Seniors coordinating the Bohannon monthly lectures at their meetings, and a member of the Kiwanis Club of Rolling Hills Estates. He would also go on to earn an MBA from Pepperdine University.