Zachary James Martin

2001 - 2023

Zachary James Martin was born in Tulsa on December 3, 2001, and transitioned to his heavenly home November 10, 2023.

He began his education at Bethany preschool where he quickly won over the hearts of his teachers and fell in love with learning. He started kindergarten at Darnaby Elementary School and graduated from Union High School in 2020 as a lifelong Union Redhawk. Zachary was a student at the University of Oklahoma majoring in Environmental Engineering.

While at Union, he participated in speech and debate from sixth grade through his senior year. He consistently placed in the top of his brackets and has a bedroom full of medals and trophies for his efforts. To no surprise, he was awarded the Top Humorous Actor award every year at the End of Year banquet by his Union teammates, and his Speech and Debate coach has since shared that all of her favorite Speech and Debate stories are "Zack stories."

When it was time to enroll in classes for his junior year, Zack realized he needed to come up with another elective, and a friend told him to join the swim team. Zack responded, "Can I do that?" The next thing any of us knew, Zack was the newest member of the swim team-in spite of not taking a swim lesson since preschool. Zack was a dedicated swimmer, and he woke up early multiple times per week to practice before school in addition to the after-school training sessions. Determined to improve, Zack often spent entire training sessions just working on one skill, such as turning.

He worked out a deal with his swim coach that allowed him to ride the bus and attend the state meet his junior year, even though he did not qualify to compete. At state, no one cheered on his teammates louder or with as much gusto as Zack. At the end of the season, recognizing Zack's efforts and team spirit, his teammates honored him by putting his name on the Union team's state t-shirt. All the other names on the shirt were those who had qualified to compete at the state meet, and the inclusive gesture touched Zack deeply.

At the beginning of his senior year, Zack's swim coach set goals for him to reach throughout the year in order to qualify for the state meet, and he did! We are so grateful for this incredible group of kids and parents that supported him for the two years he participated on the swim team.

Zack was also an active member and leader of the spirit group Scottish Skins which led chants and cheers in the student section of football games. Zack was such a dedicated member he bought his own set of bagpipes and taught himself how to play spirit songs to pump up the attendees in the stands.

Zack began a karate class when he was seven and worked all the way up to earning his black belt. He continued at Trinity Martial Arts until it closed while Zack was in middle school. After taking a break for a few years, Zack rediscovered this passion in college. In 2022, Zack started training with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu emphasis at Carson Fight and Fitness in Tulsa. He would frequently come home full of smiles and excitedly share about the newest move he had learned and the friendships he developed there. His BJJ passion had become such a positive influence on his life that he wanted to continue when he returned to Norman in August. He was blessed to find another outstanding community at JWF. We want to express our gratitude to both of these gyms for the positive impact and support they poured in to Zack.

Zack was passionate about everything he did, and that dedication carried over into his music. He began drum lessons at the age of 13 when he received a set for Christmas. While in high school, he played drums on Wednesday nights with the youth band, and he was in the Sunday morning rotation for the Praise and Worship service. In high school, he switched his weekly lessons from the drums to guitar, continuing the self-taught progress he already made on guitar. Somewhere along the way, he also taught himself to play the harmonica and ukulele (and the bagpipes for the Scottish Skins). Zack loved to host or participate in musical jam sessions, and his face always lit up when talking about playing with friends. His musical talent, combined with his humor and wit, frequently culminated into songs that left those listening in stitches.

Zachary was compassionate and deeply loved everyone and everything that was important to him. His love ranged from his closest loved ones to the entire Earth. He filled any room he was in with his bigger-than-life personality and his heartfelt laugh that always seemed to rise above the rest of the voices. As a dear friend commented this week: If you don't have a Zack story that makes you giggle, then you didn't know Zack. We will miss his hugs, his wit, his intelligence, and his music.

He is survived by his parents Alan and Elizabeth Martin of Tulsa, his grandpa Jerry Maynard of Purcell, his siblings Lindsay and Thorpe Mayes of Norman, Cole and Emery Martin of Florida, and his beloved dog Hugo. He will be missed by numerous aunts, uncles and cousins and friends who loved him dearly, among them his girlfriend Olivia Hampton and his roommates Jorge Escalera and Noah Roberts.

A memorial fund has been established in Zachary's memory at Faith United Methodist Church. Contributions can be made with a check payable to Faith United Methodist Church with Zachary's name in the memo.