Martin Kades

Beloit/Madison -Long-time Beloit resident Martin Kades, 86, died Wednesday at Capital Lakes in Madison, Wis., after a long illness. Martin was born in 1932 at St. Mary's Hospital in Madison to Charles and Rose Kades. The family lived in Madison until 1944, when they moved to Beloit. Martin graduated from Beloit Memorial High in 1950, and earned a degree in commerce from UW-Madison in 1954. He served two years in the Army at Fort Leonard in Kansas before returning to Beloit to work with his father at Kades Motor Parts on Broad Street. Martin married Rita Skud in 1958 in Evanston, Ill., and they lived in Beloit from that time until 2013, when they moved to Madison.

Martin was always community-minded. He was active in the Stateline Community Foundation, Beloit Historical Society, B'nai Abraham Synagogue, and the Beloit Public Library. He loved giving back to his community, including tutoring Robinson Elementary students in reading and volunteering with Caritas.

Martin was devoted to the business, which grew dramatically under his stewardship. Kades Motor Parts was a landmark in old downtown Beloit, a few doors down from the old Majestic Theater. He earned the respect of his customers, employees and the business community. He founded and served as president of the regional cooperative buying group, Cornbelt Automotive Warehouse in Omaha, NE. He also served as president of the Wisconsin Automotive Wholesalers Association.

Survivors include his wife, Rita, and three children: Deborah (Keith Hudelson); Eric (Nancy Combs); and Michael (Mary Giovagnoli); and six grandchildren: Seth Lautenschlager, Rachel Lautenschlager, Jennifer Kades; Rebecca Kades, Robbie Combs, and Theo Kades.

A Funeral service will be held at CONGREGATION B'NAI ABRAHAM, 2400 Oxford Lane, Beloit, WI, on Sunday, November 11, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. Burial will follow at East Lawn Cemetery in Beloit.

The Kades family expresses its gratitude to the caring staff at Capital Lakes Retirement Community and Agrace Hospice who helped them through this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to Agrace Hospice in Madison or a donor's favored humanitarian, kind-spirited charity.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Services
3610 Speedway Road Madison
(608) 238-3434