A note to the Southwestern community from Dr. Liz Frombgen:

It is with deep sadness that I share that Rev. Dr. Carl E. Martin, who served as the president of Southwestern College from 1988 to 1998, passed away on October 3, 2026, in Topeka, Kansas. He was 87.

Dr. Martin's connection to Southwestern spanned decades and took many forms. A graduate of the college, he later returned as Chaplain and Assistant Professor of Religion from 1967 to 1974, served as a Trustee for eight years, and then led the institution as president for a decade. In 1992, Southwestern awarded him an honorary doctorate in Education Administration. More recently, he was active on campus as a supporter. Traveling to campus from his home just up the street at Cumbernauld, he joyfully participated in our traditions and events. He attended countless performances and competitions, always celebrating the effort and development of Moundbuilders.

His service to Southwestern College shaped generations of students, and his legacy continues to be felt across our campus and community.

Below is his obituary, shared with the family's blessing.

Carl E. Martin, 87, died in Topeka, Kansas on October 3, 2026. Carl was born in 1938, in Larned, Kansas, the first of two children to Ora V. and Lela Zook Martin.

He attended Garden City public schools, graduating from Garden City High School in 1956. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas, a Master of Divinity from Garrett Theological Seminary, Evanston, Illinois, and a Master of Arts from Northwestern University.

On August 27, 1960, he married Mary Lou Bauer at Trinity Church in Hudson, Kansas. They celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary just weeks before Mary Lou's death in 2015.

He was the pastor of United Methodist Churches in Mount Hope, Great Bend, and Hutchinson, and District Superintendent of the Winfield United Methodist District.

He was Chaplain and Assistant Professor of Religion at Southwestern College, Winfield, Kansas, from 1967 to 1974, a Trustee of Southwestern College for 8 years, and President of Southwestern College from 1988 to 1998. He received an honorary doctorate in Education Administration from Southwestern College in 1992.

He was a planned giving advisor for the Cosmosphere Foundation in Hutchinson, the interim President and CEO of United Methodist Youthville, and a part-time staff member at First UMC, Wichita. He was the former Board President of Kansas Health Ethics and a member of the Ethics Committee at Wesley Medical Center. He was a Rotarian and a board member of the Wichita Symphony. In 2012, he was Co-Interim Pastor of University Congregational Church in Wichita.

He is survived by a son, Andrew Timothy Martin and wife Janelle (Bettin) of Topeka, Kansas; a daughter, Megann (Martin) Kennedy and husband Dale of Fort Worth, Texas; four grandchildren: Jacob, Zachary, and Katie Martin, and Grant Kennedy; and a sister, Leora Martin Kline of Kettering, Ohio.

A private family ceremony will celebrate his life.

In his memory, we will observe a moment of silence on campus at 11:28 am on Wednesday, Oct. 7. 

Matthew 11:28: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

All faculty, staff, students, and friends of the college are invited to chapel on Wednesday at 11:00 am in The Grove, where the moment of silence for Carl will be observed in community. Or we invite you to simply pause wherever you are, whether in classrooms, offices, or common spaces, to reflect on Carl's life and his contributions to the Southwestern College Community.

Please keep the Martin family in your thoughts and prayers during this time. If you would like to share a memory of Dr. Martin or send a note to the family, please feel free to direct them to my office, and I will pass them along. 

With gratitude for his life and service,

Liz

Liz Frombgen, Ph.D.
President
Southwestern College