Paul Ross Martin ’54

Paul Ross Martin ’54 passed away on January 17 on Staten Island, New York, at age 89 after a brief illness. He was an English literature major, a member of Phi Sigma Kappa and the Glee Club, and editor of The Dartmouth. He was a great basketball fan and served as manager for both his high school and Dartmouth teams. In 1960 he was a reporter at the Lancaster New Era when he was hired as copy editor at The Wall Street Journal. This had him move his young family to St. George on Staten Island. His first marriage, to Julia, ended in divorce in 1980. He met his life partner, Roberta Gardner, soon after. During his 53-year tenure at the Journal, Paul created the paper’s first stylebook, a guide for reporters on grammar and word usage. He was also copy desk chief and an editor who handled the quirky page one stories called “A-heds.” He edited or wrote several books, including The Wall Street Journal Guide to Business Style and Usage, published by Simon & Schuster. Long after retirement, most recently on December 30, 2021, he contributed to the Journal’s newsletter, “Style & Substance,” which he started in 1987. In 2000 Paul was recognized by the New York Financial Writers Association for his “significant, long-term contribution to financial journalism.” Paul was predeceased by Roberta in 2020. He is survived by children Monica, Julia, Paul Jr., Barbara, Drew, and Eric. He is also survived by Roberta’s children, Evie and Laura.