Donald F. Martin
1924-2001

Donald F. Martin, 77, a retired Air Force Colonel who from 1970 to 1979 ran the Alexandria-based company that helped implement bar codes on groceries, died March 13, 2001 of congestive heart failure at his home in Mount Vernon, Virginia.

Colonel Martin, who was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, joined the Army Air Forces in 1942.  He commanded a B-17 "Flying Fortress" bomber in 25 combat missions over during World War II and received the Distinguished Flying Cross.

He came to the Washington area in the 1950s and moved to Mount Vernon in 1966.  His last military assignment before his retirement from the Air Force in 1968 was as a public relations officer.

Trained in the military as a statistician, he went into research for the Washington-based National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors. He went on to become chief executive and president of its subsidiary, Distribution Codes Inc., which implemented the Universal Product Code program of laser scanning for groceries.

Colonel Martin was a member of Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Mount Vernon.

Survivors include his wife of 57 years, the former Marjorie Lee Scott, of Mount Vernontwo sons, Scott Martin of Alexandria and Matthew Martin of Spotsylvania; two daughters, Liza Navarro and Holly McFaul, both of Alexandria; and seven grandchildren.

Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Wednesday April 11, 2001 at the Fort Myer Chapel, Arlington, at 12:45 p.m. Interment  Arlington National Cemetery  with full honors.