Michael R. Martin
November 7,1961 – February 17, 2016
Mike passed away unexpectedly at his home in Palm Springs, California, where he lived with his youngest son.
Mike was born in the old Harrison Hospital off Kitsap Way in Bremerton. He spent his pre-teen years in Anaheim and Long Beach, California. At 13, he moved with his family to Gresham, Oregon. He graduated from Sam Barlow High School and attended Mount Hood College before going to work for the U-Haul Moving Company of Portland. He helped build and establish moving centers for the company in Alaska and Hawaii.
In Hawaii, while delivering and unloading equipment for a Japanese production company, he was offered a job. He was an assistant producer and director and worked on Japanese commercials, “Baywatch,” “Magnum P.I.,” and a Hawaiian detective series.
He moved back to the Poulsbo area to raise his two preschool-age sons and start a construction business. He suffered a shoulder and back injury on a job site and had to quit construction, so he built outdoor yard furniture in his shop and spent time with his sons. Off and on after his injury, Mike battled with prescription drugs and depression.
He loved anything outdoors. He was a fantastic water skier; he loved boating, camping, crabbing, fishing and spending time on Puget Sound.
He is survived by his sons, Robert Martin (U.S. Army) and Ryan Martin (California); their mother, his ex-wife Georgia; his parents, Suzan and Jim Martin (Poulsbo); sister, Kelle Martin (Portland); brother, Lee Martin (Poulsbo), niece, Tatiana Sils; uncle and aunt, Ron and Jeannine Bailey (Bellevue); step-grandfather Robert George; and special brother-friends, Scott Nielsen and Brian Patten.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Robert and Jessie Bailey of Poulsbo, Robert Martin of Keyport, and Sally Martin-George of Poulsbo; and his cousins. Matthew and Gregory Bailey of Kirkland.
Mike had a weird sense of humor, he loved hard-rock music, a good joke, the outdoors and his family. He lived life to the fullest every day.
He leaves a big hole in our hearts. He will be missed.
