Chad Jacob Martin

Chad Jacob Martin
Date Of Birth: 11/15/1979
Date of Death: 04/12/2024
Chad Jacob Martin, 44, of Aloha, Oregon, entered into his heavenly rest on April 12th after a brave and tenacious bout with cancer. He was a profoundly beloved son, brother, friend, and colleague, and his loss is cause for deep sadness among his vast community of friends and loved ones.
Chad was born on November 15th, 1979, at Tuality Hospital in Hillsboro, Oregon, to loving parents, Michele and John Martin. He was their only son and the light of their lives, and he returned that affection in droves. He was a genuinely steadfast and loyal son who journeyed closely with his father when he passed away in 2016. Chad was never the same after that loss and was eager in his last days to reunite with his father in the heavenly realm. Chad is almost certainly getting a kick out of watching his dad send back a steak in heaven right now, his beloved grandmother Jane cackling by his side.
Chad was a truly unique human being. Mere words fall short in describing his soul; To know him was a gift. He possessed a treasured comedic wit and could make his friends and family laugh in ways that created lifelong memories. His love language was humor, and he used that gift to lift the spirits of those around him right up until his final days. His humor danced alongside his disarming and overflowing kindness. He had the pure heart of a child and treated his closest friends and family with a tender and nurturing care that will be deeply missed.
He graduated from Southern Oregon University with a degree in communications in 2003. His career culminated with his role at First Tech Credit Union in Hillsboro, Oregon, where he worked for the final eight years of his life. He was passionate about his work and was a colorful fixture amongst his colleagues. His connection to the company was evident in the outpouring of support and true affection that he received from his colleagues right up until his final days. On his last drive to the hospital, he asked to be taken by his old office so he could stand by the sign one last time.
Perhaps the most important work that Chad undertook in his life was his service in the youth department at Beaverton Foursquare Church. For over a decade, Chad poured his heart and soul into the leadership role he was given by God to be a light amongst the young people in the church. He led with earnestness and vulnerability, inspiring those teenagers to live in the same daring and honest way. Both as a teenager and later as an adult leader, it was in that community where Chad could be his truest self. It was the place where his playful alliterative mantra was made most evident: CHAD IS RAD.
Chad's abiding passion in life was sports. His most beloved franchise was the Atlanta Braves, and his favorite athlete of all-time was Dale Murphy. Some of his greatest memories were made on a baseball diamond. His father was the head coach for all of his teams, the Bobby Cox of Reedville Baseball. The two of them collected baseball cards together and their portfolio was the envy of the neighborhood.
And it was on a baseball diamond where Chad met his best friend, Isaac Marshall. The two grew so close in their childhood that Chad became the fifth sibling in the Marshall family. In 2003, to celebrate their college graduations, Chad and Isaac embarked on an epic road trip to see Chad's Atlanta Braves play the Giants in San Francisco, and then onto Chicago to watch Isaac's favorite club, the Cubs. While at the game in Wrigley Field, Chad surprised Isaac by sneaking into the pro shop while he wasn't aware and returned a short while later decked out in Cubs gear. Isaac and his siblings (Leah, Rachel, and Christopher) have experienced the excruciating loss of a big brother.
Chad is survived by five half-siblings and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts, and uncles. Most importantly, Chad is survived by his mother, Michele. She is a retired elementary school teacher and was with Chad for nearly every minute of his brutal six-month battle. All he wanted in his final hours was to lie in his hospital bed and hold her hand. They listened to sacred music, prayed together, and enjoyed the heartfelt laughter that only Chad could provide.
Michele is inviting all of Chad's family, friends, and colleagues to join her in a joyful celebration of Chad's life at Beaverton Foursquare Church on May 21st at 1:00pm. Come as you are, just the way that Chad would want it.
In lieu of gifts or flowers, Michele requests that all honorary contributions be made to Chad's favorite charity, Compassion First. Please send your contributions and a note honoring Chad to 1500 NW 167th Place, Beaverton, OR 97006. Online contributions can be made at http://www.compassionfirst.org or by calling (503) 207 1320.