Martin George Tatera, 81, born on January 22, 1941, in Chicago, IL, United States, passed away November 3, 2022 in Upland, CA. He was a longtime resident of Upland. Visitation and service will be 2:00- 4:00 p.m. Monday, December 5, 2022, at the Memory Chapel, Forest Lawn, Covina. Martin was preceded in death by his parents George and Alice Tatera and his wife, Carol (2003). He is survived by Shannon Tatera, wife; Jeffrey Tatera, son (Lisa, wife); David Tatera, son; Donald Tatera, son (Kimberly, wife); Joel Tatera, son; Brad Peters, stepson (Paula, wife); four grandchildren, Brandon, Ryan, Christian, and Jake Tatera; Kathy Mortenson, sister (Kelly, husband); and Cathy Davis, sister. Martin was born in Chicago and graduated from St. Hyacinth Basilica Catholic School and Archbishop Weber High School. During high school he developed his taste for jazz music, frequenting clubs with his friends. He married Carol Jeanne Barber on November 3, 1962. He worked full-time while attending the University of Illinois, Chicago, then graduated from the Illinois Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. They raised four sons in suburban Chicago. In 1986, the Tateras moved to sunny Upland, CA, for business and to escape the cold Chicago winters. Martin worked for several engineering firms until joining CalTrans as a Senior Transportation Engineer in San Bernardino. He developed many friends through his quirky ways and wry sense of humor. He was certainly a stickler for doing things the correct way. Martin and Carol enjoyed several trips with family to Lake Tahoe, New Orleans, and Napa Valley. They eventually made it to London for that once in a lifetime trip. Carol passed away in 2003. Martin became a member of the Victor Valley British Car Club at his son, Donald's urging. He loved and owned several British cars and was an encyclopedic source of knowledge about them as well as any automobile. He enjoyed many road trips, car shows, and car club meetings/events, building friendships and relationships along the way. He then met Shannon Kaye Peters in 2006 and enjoyed many dates of concerts, car shows, and great meals. The traveling to and from Huntington Beach to Upland was wearing on both people and cars so they were wed on October 29, 2014. Both families were joyously surprised! Martin retired from CalTrans in 2009 after 18.31 years. Yes, that number is correct, he was that kind of guy! After his retirement, he and Shannon were able to enjoy life at a bit of a slower pace. They visited family in many places: Nevada, Ohio, and Illinois. They enjoyed taking their MGBs and Jaguar on drives and short trips (dependability?!?) throughout the years. The last several years had taken their toll on Martin. His knees and back were a constant source of pain, and then the diagnosis of dementia shattered the family. Shannon and their dog, Carlos, brought an amazing amount of joy and comfort to Martin's life, as well as many trips to Portillo's for Italian beef sandwiches and Rosati's for Chicago style pizza. Martin was a man of immense knowledge and wit. He was a self-made man who believed in education and hard work. He loved his family, friends, and food. He is loved, he will be missed, and will always be remembered.
