Dr. Martin F. Stempien, Jr., Bon Vivant and Renaissance Man of New York City passed away on January 5, 2022 from Covid, at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.

Martin was born in New Britain, CT on September 2, 1930, son of the late Attorney Martin F. Stempien and Cecelia (Gradziel) Stempien. He was a graduate of the Loomis Chaffee School, Class of 1948 and received his BS from Yale University in 1952. Martin continued his education at Yale receiving a PhD in Chemistry in 1957. He then became a post-doctoral Fellow for the US Public Health Service at Clare College, Cambridge University, England earning a PhD in bio-chemistry in 1960.

Martin began his career as a research associate at the New York Aquarium Osborn Marine Laboratories researching marine sponges under a grant from the Damon Runyon Cancer Foundation and was well published in the area. He left his position as Assistant Director in the early 80's to pursue his avocation as a Philatelist. Martin was an expert on France and French Postal history publishing several articles on the subject and curated a collection of stamps including mail from French troops stationed in Poland from 1918-1921. He was the Secretary to the Chairman of the Expert Committee at the New York Philatelic Foundation from 1988-2018 and held various Executive positions at the Collector's Club of NY. Martin was also an organ music aficionado and took many trips with the Historic Organ Study Tours to listen to concerts on restored organs throughout Europe and the US, always returning to his beloved New York City to regale his family with stories of his journeys and the music he enjoyed. He was a longtime member and usher at St. Joseph Church, Greenwich Village and volunteer at St. Joe's Soup Kitchen.

He leaves his brothers: Dr. J. Henry Stempien, Peter Stempien (Gail) as well as nephews: James and Stephen and his much beloved nieces: April (Henry Otero), Holly (John Fink) and Catherine (James Bolin).

His grave side service was held on Friday September 2, 2022 at the Family plot. Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the Meriden Memorial Funeral Home, 450 Broad St., Meriden. To send an online expression of sympathy please visit www.meridenmemorialfh.com . Donations in memory of Martin may be made to St. Joe's Soup Kitchen, 371 Avenue Of The Americas, NY, NY 10014 or the American Heart Association at www.heart.org .