Keith P. Martin

Keith Martin Obituary
Keith P. Martin
September 22, 1961 – November 2, 2025
Keith Martin knew how to fill a room-with laughter, with the smell of something incredible coming out of the oven, with that booming voice of his whether he was cheering mat-side or belting it out with the Boston Church of Christ choir. At 64, he left us the way he lived: surrounded by love, having squeezed every drop of joy out of this life.
Born in Boston alongside his twin brother Kevin-the third and fourth of eight children-Keith treasured that lifelong bond from day one. His early years in Dedham shifted to Milton when his mother remarried and two families became one, bringing siblings, noise, and all the beautiful chaos of a truly blended household. At Milton High, Keith found his stride as captain of both the football and wrestling teams, graduating with the Class of 1981 with a leadership style that would define him: loud, loyal, and all-in. After some college, he chose to serve his country in the U.S. Army, where the discipline and work ethic he developed pointed him toward one of his greatest loves-cooking. He earned his culinary degree from Newbury College and never looked back.
But Keith's real masterpiece? His family. He was dad to Nathan Pierre (Jillian) of Quincy, Stefan Pierre (Lisa) of Newton, Keith Martin Jr. (Harley) of Manhattan, and Mari Martin of Natick. When Keithie hit the wrestling mat, there was Keith Sr. in his corner, probably the loudest one there. When Mari stepped on stage, you'd find him in the audience looking at her like she'd hung the moon herself. And those "step-sons" Nathan and Stefan? Keith never used that word-they were his, period. Full stop.
He shared 30 years with Deana Martin, and even after their marriage ended, they stayed connected in the way people do when they've built a life together. His grandkids, Philip Pierre of Newton and Lorenzo Pierre of Quincy, gave him new reasons to show off and turn every ordinary moment into something worth celebrating.
Keith was the devoted son of Penelope Carroll and the late John Carroll of Milton, and the late Leon ("Duke") Martin and Diane (Camillo) Martin of Readville-parents who gave him his big heart and even bigger personality.
Keith leaves behind a small army of siblings who knew him best: Matt Carroll (Elaine), Denise Martin Hines (Michael), Judith Carroll Mason (Joseph), Michelle Martin, Cathleen Carroll Sinnott (John), Kevin Martin (Rose, deceased), Peter Carroll, B. Brian Martin (Rosanna), Chris Carroll (Janine), Darren Martin, Ted Carroll (Kate), Chris Martin (Joanie), Shannon Martin Jordan (Derek), Ivan Carroll, Shawn Carroll, Charlotte Carroll Vilches, Angela Carroll Najera, Duke Martin (Micha), and Jessica Martin-plus a crowd of adoring aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family who could fill a banquet hall.
Outside his kitchen, Keith coached wrestling at Milton High and with Dedham Youth, teaching kids how to be tough on the mat and decent humans off it. His faith was his foundation-he loved Jesus deeply and found his church family at the Boston Church of Christ, where he worshiped in Milton and Providence and sang in the choir like he meant every single word. Because he did. His faith gave him strength through every challenge and joy in every victory, big or small.
Keith loved his dogs, his cat, and any creature that needed someone to scratch behind their ears. And he never met a person he couldn't feed. Cooking for others wasn't simply what Keith did for work-it was his love language, his way of saying "you matter" without having to find the words.
People used words like "warm," "generous," "hilarious" when they talked about Keith. He made you feel like your stories were worth hearing, like there was always room for one more at the table, like you belonged exactly where you were.
We're mourning-but we're also celebrating a guy who lived fully, loved hard, and left us all a little better than he found us.
Visiting hours: Alfred D. Thomas Funeral Home, 326 Granite Ave, Milton
Sunday, November 9th from 2 - 5PM
Burial private.
Celebration of Life, Service and Dinner: Congregational Church of Canton, 1541 Washington Street, Canton, MA
Sunday, November 16th from 2 - 6PM
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