in an organization that gives a little spirit to Veterans who have given much, much more for the service of their country. Walleyes For Wounded Heroes is a 501 C3 non-profit organization aimed at giving a memorable experience through the art of big lake fishing to disabled, Purple Heart recipient Veterans. “We take Veterans who have earned the Purple Heart for a combat injury on Lake Erie in Port Clinton, Ohio fishing for free. All they have to do is get there. We pay for their cabins and their food. We have 52 Charter Boat Captains who take two people per boat out on Lake Erie to catch some HUGE walleye, 8, 10, 12 pound walleye!” I can easily see that this organization is near and dear to Marty’s heart. He is a Veteran himself, having served 4 years in the United States Marine Corps. He understands the sacrifice these brave men have made during their service to their country and he does not let himself forget all that they have done. Marty also explains that it is more than just fishing. It is also about healing. “The guys sit around telling their war stories and it is a healing thing. We have a Pastor there; we have a Doctor and a Nurse there. There are a lot of us Marines like Fred Lohman and Gary Jones that helped put it together and a great civilian guy, Joe Stelzer, as well as many others. This year we took 104 Purple Hearted Vets up there and fished Wednesday through Sunday.” Marty O’Connor has accomplished a lot of things during his time and continues forging ahead living his life the best way he can. He is a family man first and everything else second. He is a husband to wife Angie, his wife of over 20 years who is the Community Wellness Director at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital and also serves on the Healthy Yankton Committee. He is a father to Daniel and to Daniel’s twin sister Kayla. And speaking of Daniel, Marty has chosen his son to accompany him August 16 on a trip to Washington DC to visit the White House. Marty will be part of a delegation of Nebraska leaders and businessmen who will receive breakfast at the White House as well as a complete tour of the historic landmark. Marty says Daniel is very excited to be a part of this occasion! Marty’s career has brought to him 530 death investigations and 126 autopsies. He is also an elected official holding the title of County Supervisor. He has held that position for 16 years and having just been re-elected in the primary election another term. If successful in November’s election he will continue to be a Knox County Nebraska Supervisor for an even 20. Service to others seems to be what Marty was meant to do. My time with Mr. O’Connor was time very well spent. He is a passionate man, and a professional in his line of business. He leaves nothing to chance and approaches each case with the meticulous precision one would expect from a professional. He understands that most of the time his services are needed when people are experiencing difficult situations in their lives, he gets that, and clients get the very best of his and his team’s abilities. There are some lighter moments to Marty’s job. Those moments are when he finds a loved one someone has come to him to search for. There have been reunions in his office and he is the first to admit that he has shed a tear or two when the outcomes are good and families are reunited. It can be said that not all of Marty’s cases deal with the dark side of humanity. Marty loves his line of work. Each day is different and each case unique. He loves the challenges that come with some of the cases and he excels at finding answers to nearly impossible questions. He has a fondness for Cold Cases because it is those types of cases that bring about many interesting challenges. “I am a Federal and District Court Appointed Investigator and Judges appoint me to work on cases. Some of those cases have a lot of pending questions and that is where I excel. I love Cold Cases, because I love things that can’t be figured out and when I am Federal and District appointed that is my chance.” Marty looks forward to continuing his work as a private investigator as he positively impacts those around him while seeking the truth and justice in a world where that is sometimes hard to find. n Call or Stop By For All Your Heating and Cooling Needs! 2018 Broadway, Yankton 605-665-4348 M-F 8am-5pm Saturday 8am-Noon We Stock Filters Brad Haas HISVOICEvSEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2018v5