David Lawrence Martin

In the place of his birth, Bellingham, WA, David Lawrence Martin gave up his worn out earthly tent and was welcomed home by his Heavenly Father on August 30, 2025. He was born to Jack and Christina Martin on December 2,1951 and grew up in Bellingham. After graduating from Bellingham High School in 1970, he attended Biola University in LaMirada, CA, earning a BA in Social Science with a Missions emphasis in 1974. After a gap year, he attended Western Seminary in Portland, OR for a year for more in depth study of the biblical languages. He then pursued a MA in Applied Linguistics at UT Arlington, under the auspices of the Summer Institute of Linguistics. While in Dallas, David met his wife and partner in ministry, Connie Currier. They were married January 6,1978 in Grand Junction, CO. Fourteen months later they moved to Indonesia for language study and ultimately to the Mamberamo River region of Papua, Indonesia where they lived among the Sikaritai people. David worked diligently to learn and write down the previously unwritten Sikaritai language, study local culture and nurture the fledgling church, all with a view to giving the people God's Word in their own language. In 1993 the couple and their three young sons, Benjamin, Jared and Iain returned to the USA and settled permanently in the Wheat Ridge, CO area, where David started his second career in environmental compliance. While working full time, parenting 3 boys and serving in his local church, he managed to complete a BS in Environmental Data Management at MSU Denver in 2007. Besides his love for the Lord, and determination to live in obedience to Him, David loved cycling and worship music. When it was no longer prudent for him to ride a bicycle, he switched to a recumbent trike so he could get out and about for fresh air and exercise. He played the organ for church services as well as keyboard and bass guitar–whichever was deemed more appropriate– and served on the worship planning team. He was also involved in children's ministry late in life. Preceding him in death were his father, Jack Martin, his mother, Christina Martin, and his son, Jared Martin. Surviving are his wife of 47 years, Connie; two sons, Benjamin (Yessica Simental) and Iain (Regan); bonus daughter, Jennifer Scott; 3 sisters, Anne Baldwin of Newcastle, WA, Cathie Ott of Lynden, WA and Jan Glazner (Paul) of Sutherlin, OR; 7 grand children: Leland Probeck, Murphy Scott, Lily Martin, Vada Martin, David JB Martin, Chloe Martin and Riley Martin. A memorial service will be held at 10 AM, Saturday, October,18 at First Baptist Church of Golden, CO. The service will be live streamed on the church website, fbcgolden.org. Memorial gifts can be made to Mission Arvada at the Rising Church, arvadarising.com, or to the PeaceHealth St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation, 2901 Squalicum Parkway, Bellingham, WA 98225. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of David, please visit our floral store.