Jeffery Arthur Martin

Jeffery Arthur Martin passed away, peacefully and embraced in love, at his home August 15th, 2025 due to the debilitating effects of ALS. Jeff was born January 23rd, 1949 in Minneapolis, MN. He was the first of seven children born to Kenneth and Gloria (Torseth) Martin. He was baptized in Pierre, SD at First Baptist Church at the age of 13.

During his childhood years, beloved time was spent with his Grandpa and Grandma Martin at their cabin on Big Sandy Lake, near McGregor, MN. It was there that his lifelong love of lake life and fishing were born. Although the family moved frequently throughout his youth, it was while living in Minneapolis during his intermediate years that provided the ripe conditions for his love of hockey to develop. Memories of playing as a goalie for Minneapolis Park Board and practicing his skills with the North High School Hockey Team provided many proud memories and stories to later share with his kids and grandkids.

Another passion of Jeff's came to life in his teenage years when his family moved to Alaska, living in both Juneau and Ketchikan, where he learned a variety of skills as a mechanic and otherwise became a handyman and "Jack of all Trades." Jeff's subsequent love and pride of cars and mechanical work would be one he carried with him through many project vehicles throughout his life. While in Alaska he worked in a variety of fields including commercial fishing, logging, and mining. Over time he moved back to Minnesota where he worked for a Saint Benard and Arabian Horse breeder and at the Powell Candy Company. At 20 years old, Jeff enlisted into the United States Navy where he served as a Bosun Mate on the US Camden, off the coast of Vietnam.

Following his discharge from service, Jeff settled in Minnesota once again, finding work as an auto mechanic at Kmart and attending Anoka Tech's Certified Mechanics program, which helped him to be promoted into the position of Automotive Manager. During this time, Jeff married Elizabeth Donahue with whom he had two daughters, Heather and Jennifer.

Jeff later remarried and shared his life with Sheila Hammer, with whom he had two children, Nichole and Joshua. The family stayed busy with their involvement at Brooklyn Park Lutheran Church, and on fishing and camping trips. Road trips especially provided the family many memories, taking the family across the continental United States from the Arctic Circle of Alaska to the Gulf of Mexico and from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

As the years progressed, Jeff left his management duties when he transferred to the Kmart Distribution Center, where he was ultimately offered early retirement. Jeff moved on to work as a fork lift mechanic for MN Supply Company, where he later retired once again.

Jeff's love of lake life and fishing led the family to buy a lakeshore lot on Garfield Lake in Laporte, MN where Jeff and Sheila were able to build a home and move permanently in the summer of 2012. It was at this property that Jeff got to live out his favorite parts of family life, teaching grandkids to fish, engaging in yard games and water play of all varieties, and hosting many of his favorite people for events like annual 4th of July fish fries and New Year's celebrations.

In his retirement Jeff allowed his artistic spirit freedom, and used acrylic paint pouring to create beautiful coasters, vases, tables, ornamental bulbs, and canvas works. His love of flower gardens is evident throughout their property and garden tours would often be a highlight of visits with Jeff. The passion for travel also persisted in these years, and Jeff and Sheila were able to take two once in a lifetime trips, the first to Ireland and a second to Italy. In Jeff's final years, his and Joshua's car project became a 1950 Ford Shoebox. Family trips to car shows and casual cruises with his wife and grandkids became a reignited passion for the family's free time.

To keep him busy, Jeff found part time work at the Laporte School working as a night custodian, activities custodian, and on occasion a very convincing substitute "lunch lady." Jeff eventually retired for a third time from the school, started a small lawn care business, went back to offer his skills at the school again, and eventually retired "for real" when fatigue began to affect him too much. This fatigue was ultimately diagnosed as ALS.

Although ALS forced Jeff's physical form to leave our world sooner than hoped, his spirit will live on through the love, respect, goodwill, kindness, hospitality, and humor he shared freely with all.

Jeff was preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Gloria Martin, two sisters Joy Brown and Joan Kirk, and brother James Martin.

Jeff is survived by his wife, Sheila (Hammer) Martin, children Heather Martin, Jennifer (Wayne) Weltzin, Nichole (Dennis) Abernathy, and Josh (Mary) Martin. He leaves behind nine beloved grandchildren, Zachary, Mackenzie, Caden, Isaiah, Nolan, Brendan, Adelyn, Kasey, and Leonna. He is also survived by two sisters, Jerri (Tom) Sloan and Jill Whetstone and one brother Jessie Martin.

A memorial service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church of Laporte, MN at 1:00 p.m. on September 20th, 2025. Please join the family for a meal and fellowship following the service in the church's fellowship hall.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages gifts to be directed to St Joseph's Hospice Care of Park Rapids or the ALS Association.