Martin L. Ban

Martin (Marty) L. Ban, age 79 of Henderson, passed away on Thursday, June 4, 2026 at Benedictine Living Community in Owatonna, MN. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, June 20, 2026 at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ in Henderson, MN. Visitation will be at the church, one hour prior. Interment will be held at a later date at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN.

Marty was born on October 24, 1946, in Hibbing, MN to Martin and Dorothy (DeMillo) Ban. He grew up in Hibbing and graduated from high school. After high school, Marty was drafted into the United States Army and proudly served his country during the Vietnam War. He followed in his father’s footsteps by serving as Commander of the VFW in Hibbing, a role he held with pride and dedication. On October 29, 1971, Marty married his true love, Sharon Terzich, in Wallace, ID. Together they built a life in Hibbing where he spent most of his career as a Steamfitter Welder (local 589) and raising their greatest pride and joy, Krista. For the past ten years, Marty and Sharon called Henderson home, but when the winters became too much, they happily escaped to Los Barriles, Mexico, where they enjoyed sunshine and relaxation in their home. While in Mexico he didn’t just build a house, he rebuilt, replaced and fixed many Dune Buggy’s not only for himself but for others in the Baja. This fed his lifelong obsession with working on vehicles, which his family referred to as his “girlfriends”.

Even though winters were spent in Mexico, Marty could not wait to get back to the states to see his grandchildren. They made him a better version of himself. He entertained them non-stop and would even get all the neighborhood kids together to play baseball in the backyard. A decade ago, Marty was diagnosed with staph infection on his spinal cord, leaving him with very limited mobility from the waist down. He stubbornly refused to quit, fought for many years, not wanting to miss a moment, because of the love he had for his grandkids.

Marty wore many hats throughout his life and truly embodied the phrase “jack of all trades.” Whether tackling a new project, fixing something that was broken, or finding a completely unique solution that only made sense to him, he always kept busy. He was one of a kind.

Although somewhat introverted, he had a knack for brightening a room and bringing a smile to people’s faces. He could be stubborn, and there was often only one right way to do something, also known as “Marty’s way”. Yet his determination, strong work ethic, and willingness to help others were qualities that defined him. He could fix almost anything, or, as family would say, “Martinize it” to make it completely unique, only to his taste.

Martin is survived by his wife, Sharon of Henderson, MN; favorite (and only) daughter, Krista (Jeff) Christ of Henderson, MN; his grandchildren, Ayden, Anyssa and Emma Christ; his siblings, Greg Ban of Hibbing, MN and Doreen Ban (Jerry Brown) of Los Barriles, Mexico and a special person, Tony.

He is preceded in death by his parents; and siblings, Joseph & Peter Ban.