Martin Allan MacLeod

1987 - 2024

Martin Allan MacLeod
03/05/1987 - 09/04/2024
On Wednesday, September 4, 2024, Martin Allan MacLeod, passed away at the age of 37. Martin was born on March 5th, 1987. Loving dog father to Chubz, Bonnie and Clyde; cat father to Pierre and Geppetto; snake father to Rev Mac; oldest son of Steve and Rosemary MacLeod; and lastly, sibling to brothers Michael and Kevin and to sister Maureen.
In remembering Martin, the life he lived and the person he was, a traditional obituary does not feel right. Martin was never bound by templates and always marched to the beat of his own drum. Whether it was the regrettable bleached hair tips or the poetry club he started in high school for ulterior motives, there was no taming Martin. This obituary may bounce around and seem hectic at times, but that was the life Martin lived.
When Martin was younger, he had hair that could loosely be described as a bowl cut. He had thick glasses (he was blind as a bat but hadn't entered his pirate phase yet) and even with the glasses, he still seemed to always squint, whether it was in person or in photos. As a brother and son, he was generous, difficult, inclusive, stubborn, and everything you could think of. Trying to sum up Martin and his personality in words is simply impossible; but every adjective you can think of to describe someone's personality would probably be accurate. He was so many things to so many different people, and always found a way to connect somehow.
Martin excelled as a member of the Burlingame High School golf team, even shooting -1 at Sharp Park in the CCS Regional Tournament as a senior. Martin was a part of the inaugural class at U.C. Merced, a distinction he held in disdain to be sure. He never liked Merced, or school for that matter, but somehow found a way to graduate with a business degree, even after being the first student on academic probation. While at Merced, Martin met his future wife, Brie Genussa, dog mother to Chubz, Pierre, and Capone. At Merced, Martin was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes, which became a life-defining moment for Martin. It was a disease that, combined with his alcoholism, was something he could never shake. The two, in combination, ended Martin's life far too soon.
After somehow graduating U.C. Merced, Martin and Brie moved to Santa Monica where Martin worked for West Side Rentals. From all reports, Martin excelled with West Side Rentals and helped create a life for the both of them in Santa Monica. Martin ultimately wanted to return to the Bay Area and ended up moving back to Burlingame in late 2018, right across the street from Steve and Rosemary (if you're thinking about moving across the street from your parents as an adult, it is not recommended!). He also started working at the San Francisco Towers, where he stayed for 6 years, and by all accounts the residents and co-workers loved him! At this point, alcohol had a strong grip on his life. Martin tried multiple ways to get sober, but he couldn't beat it.
Even still, there were always glimpses of the Martin we all knew growing up. He was incredibly generous, and somehow always had a gift on the spot. It seemed like he drove around with a Dyson vacuum, hair dryer, or Apple headphones, just in case it was someone's birthday or there was another celebration. His love for animals continued and he surrounded himself with the pets that he loved so dearly, not to mention the house geckos that may or may not be considered pets. Martin was a regular at family parties and events and loved the time spent with family. His presence will be most missed when there's an awkward silence in any room, just waiting to be filled by Martin and his gregarious personality.
This obituary could go on and on but at some point, we sadly need to let Martin go. It's the memories we all hold and the stories we remember that keep him alive inside all of us. Was Martin perfect? No. Are any of us? No. Are there lessons to be learned from his far too early passing? Of course. And whether it's donating to Type I Diabetes research in Martin's memory(https://bit.ly/MartyMac) or by calling someone struggling with addiction, please find the time. If Martin can continue to help people long after his passing, then he will have lived on with those acts.
Martin leaves behind many family members who will miss him dearly; parents Rosemary and Steve MacLeod, wife Brie Gennusa, siblings Maureen, Mike and Kevin MacLeod, nephews Gordon and Liam MacLeod, nieces Mary Herman and Callie MacLeod and numerous aunts and uncles. Martin will be remembered , Sat., Sept 21st, 10:00am at a Memorial Mass at St. Catherine of Siena Church, 1310 Bayswater Ave., Burlingame, immediately followed by a reception at the Burlingame Community Center, Sequoia Room.