On March 12, 2025, Martin Nopola of Eden died at age 91 at Copley Hospital from complications due to Parkinson's disease. Martin and his wife, Deborah Benjamin, moved to Eden, VT in May, 1985 and pursued a number of activities in the arts and teaching.

He was born the eldest of five in Port Arthur, Ontario to his American parents: Jalo Eli Nopola (a Lutheran minister stationed in Ontario and ministering to the Finnish community of the upper midwest and adjacent Canada) and Hilda (Jarvi) Nopola, both of Michigan, on May 8, 1933. He attended community college for a few years and then enlisted into the U.S. Navy in 1953 where he enrolled in the officer flight training program and served as a pilot through 1957.

Self taught in many disciplines – photography at age 13 (when he made his own enlarger from a light bulb and a large coffee can); to playing the classical guitar in his twenties when he was in the Navy; to working in ceramics from the 1970's through the 1990's; and eventually to woodworking to build baroque style classical guitars from the mid 1990's to 2015 – he sought beauty in the colors and sounds of his dreams.

He always enjoyed hearing about the natural surroundings in Vermont of mountains, hills, wetlands, fields, and lakes and ponds from Deborah's pursuits through the years. In recent years, he enjoyed sitting outdoors and listening to the Summer bird song. His favorite bird songs were red-eyed vireo and white-throated sparrow.

He is survived by his wife Deborah; daughter Jennifer Helle of Chicago, Illinois; son Dale Nopola and his wife Regina and their son Max of Maryville, Tennessee; sister Judith Olson of Lombard, Illinois; brother John Nopola of Lakeside, California and brother Paul Nopola of California. Another brother, Joel Nopola, predeceased him.

An outdoor memorial ceremony will be held by family at a later date.