Manuel Martins Obituary

It has been a month since Marty passed away. I think about him every day! I thank God that I was blessed to have known Marty for almost 40 years. I met Marty at my Learn-to-Skate lessons at the Broadmoor World Arena when I was just a little girl. I was instantly struck by his movie star good looks. Like the other little girl skaters in 1970, I fell madly in “love” with the dashing new coach. I was inspired to do my best, so that I could be in Marty’s classes. He was fun to work with and he always had a hug and a smile waiting for me when I would get on and off the ice.
Marty always encouraged me to achieve my goals for skating and my future. When I was a senior in high school, he asked if I needed a letter of recommendation for my college entrance applications. Before I could answer, he was waving a piece of paper in his hand, which was the aforementioned letter. He made me feel so special by that one gesture.
Over the years we have been separated by life’s day to day obstacles, but that never diminished my love and respect for Marty. I knew we would work together again and kept in casual contact with him over the years.
Marty and I reunited when I had a daughter, Hannah, in 1998. I told him that I would soon have her under his tutelage, and wanted him to develop a champion from the ground up. As with most things, Marty was more pragmatic and encouraged me to put her in Learn-to-Skate before I thought about getting a private coach. A few years into her skating, after a few different coaches, I asked Marty to be her primary coach. He has been Hannah’s coach since 2005. I looked forward to the lessons Hannah had with Marty, as it gave me an opportunity to talk with him on a diverse set of topics. I enjoyed our talks, be they superficial or in-depth, because he was able to challenge me in ways others could not. He became part of our extended family and we cherished him! It never fazed me in the least when he took it upon himself to discipline Hannah if she was acting inappropriately, like whining or complaining. He became a day to day father figure to Hannah! She would listen to what he had to say, never wanting to disappoint him. She loved to spend time with Marty. Hannah especially enjoyed the time he went with a group of us to the Dinosaur Extravaganza at the World Arena. We had such a magnificent time! Marty always made us feel like family and I know that he made others feel just the same.
Although Marty was taken very suddenly, I will always treasure the time Hannah and I spent with him, up to and including staying by his bedside until he passed away. Our lives are forever enhanced and enriched by having known such a wonderful man. Marty, I hope you rest in peace! I hope you know that you were admired and loved by so many, especially me!
Love ya,
Theresa Johnson

I would like to share a few words about Marty, whom I loved very dearly.

But how do I start?

How do I begin a farewell when I still can't believe Marty is gone?

How do I say goodbye to such a big influence in my young life?

Words can never express what I am feeling right now. Because, losing Marty is one of the most difficult things I have ever had to go through. I feel cheated he was taken from me so suddenly. Why did he have to go?

Putting those feelings aside for the moment today is my chance to say thank you to Marty for the way he brightened my life. Some of you may not have known Marty the way that I did, for he touched each of us in different ways.

For me, Marty was my coach, my friend and a father figure. I loved him with all my heart.

As a coach, Marty made me feel like I was the most beautiful little girl in the world. He always gave me a great big smile and a bear hug at the end of my lessons. Marty loved to give me "pet" names, the most endearing of which was "zippy". I will remember him laughing at the silly things I did during lessons, how he would tell me to do one jump and I would do something completely different without thinking. He would just look at me with a big grin and make a comment about being “blonde” or playfully hitting me on the head with his glove. He made learning to skate a fun experience.

Marty was especially fond of making me skating dresses. My favorite dress is the one he made for me as a Christmas present. Marty would never tell me what the dresses would look like or the color. He would just show up with a dress and watch with joy as I tried it on and it fit perfectly. During the last month, he was so excited to let me know that he was making me some new dresses, competition and practice. He talked about how great they would look on me and that he couldn’t wait to deliver them on Tuesday. Unfortunately, Marty left us on a Sunday and I never got to see his pride when I tried on the dresses. I am thankful to Maria for allowing us to have the dresses that Marty made for me. I will cherish them forever.

As a friend and a father figure, Marty was a man that was kind and generous. He loved me with such joy and pride that it lit up his face every time we were together. There was never a time that I could not talk to him or that he would not offer advice (asked for or not). He took an active interest in everything I did on the ice and off. He encouraged me to try new things and to excel at them all. I recently showed him my report card, which had all A+’s. He was so proud of the fact that I had achieved such good grades that he lifted me off the ground in a huge hug.

Marty also encouraged me to practice piano. He said that every little girl should know how to play a musical instrument. Practice is sometimes boring, but Marty was not fond of using “presents” as a way to get me to practice. He felt that bribery was not the best method to get me to understand the benefits of practice, practice, practice.

Marty came into my life and changed me forever. I will never have to wonder what Marty really thought of me. He showed me every day that he was proud of me and who I was growing up to be.

I am so thankful that I was at Marty’s bedside and was able to give him one last smile and a great big hug! I know that he will be watching me from heaven. Therefore, I will strive for the rest of my life to honor Marty's memory by being the best I can be at everything I try to do.

Marty will be greatly missed and always remembered by my mom and me. I want to remind Marty that God loves him and I love him!!!

GOODBYE MARTY

I LOVE YOU

I'LL MISS YOU
Hannah Johnson (Age 10)

8:14 a.m.

Cold wind in my face,
Heart pounding.
I stop to get water,
I look up at the clock,
It says it is 8:14 a.m.,
But it can’t be.
I look up into the stands,
Marty is nowhere in sight.
I go to the door,
I peer down the stairs,
But there is no Marty there either.
Then the clock turns,
The time reads 8:15 a.m.
Marty should be gliding onto the ice,
Arms outstretched,
Ready for a warm embrace.
I begin to realize,
He will never glide onto the ice again.
There will be no more skating lessons,
No more life lessons,
No more laughing and joking.
He is really gone.
I begin to cry,
Then the clock turns to read 8:16 a.m.
I leave the boards,
I begin to skate again,
Pretending everything is fine,
Pretending that nothing has changed,
But the truth is,
Everything has changed,
And nothing will ever be the same.
8:14 a.m. is no longer just a time,
the clock reads.
8:14 a.m. is happiness,
8:14 a.m. is laughter,
8:14 a.m. is anger,
8:14 a.m. is sadness,
But most of all,
8:14 a.m. is memories.


Dedicated to : Marty Martino (1937-2009)

Written By : Heather Padilla
March 23, 2009

I am happy it is now I am signing as I was able to read how Marty touched so many skater and their families. He was one of a kind! I have been blessed to know him many years and he like so many of you also coached my child who will always carry the nickname "bones" and be a better athlete, and man because of Marty's touch...
He was so strong..what a teacher, a friend, what an amazing person we were all blessed to have him touch our lives...I will cherish the last hug conversation and shared moments with him...lov ya Marty!

Gone, But Not Forgotten

I heard your greeting
I saw your smile
I watched you swagger into the Rink
You were a son, a brother, a coach, a friend, a mentor
You were many things to many people
Ane then "Poof" Just like in a Magic Show
You were gone, Never to appear again!

I miss you
I miss your gentle ways
I miss your presence
I miss your "tough love"
I miss your smile
I miss the wonderful man you were to so many
I miss you my friend!
I miss seeing your sit in our place
I miss your hugs
I miss your advice and wise counsel
And I feel a deep void in my soul
It's like a dark empty hole
I feel a loss so great that words cannot begin to express
And yet Wait! Wait!
You may be gone, but not fogotten!

No one can erase the memories
The sweet memories of times past
The vivid memories of the smile
The kind words, The laughter
The sometimes tough lessons you taught
Although I can no longer see you face to face
Although the grief and loss is still there
The memories are Oh so sweet!
They will never fade
They will remain throughout my life
Unitl I take my last breath!
I know that others you touched feel the same
I encourage them to hold tight to the memories
To not allow the memories to die
To bask in the comfort the memories bring

I know in my heart that I will see you again face to face!
But for now, as much as it still hurts
As much as I want to see you again
I will hold the memories tightly because,
You are gone, but not forgotten!

Dedicated to my friend
Marty Martino

Tami Padilla

The world is gray today
like clouds and rain,
tears and sadness
taint the sun
for one who was family,
not by blood but by love,
is gone.
No longer near,
we cannot see, or touch, or hear,
the love, the spirit which meant so much
except in our hearts
there, he will always live
Marty who had so much to give
and showed us more than skating
He showed us living,
He showed us loving

Marty will be so missed! He was part of our family and he was always teasing us about the abundance of pets. He'd raise eyebrows and smirk at the oddness of our family when he came over for lunch those few times. Anytime that Mom or I or my brother needed anything, any advice, whatever, we'd ask Marty and he'd listen and give us good advice. He was so loved. When I was 14, I injured my knee and he supported me through my injury and when I got back into skating, he was very kind and helped me even though I didn't have the money to pay for lessons. If we hadn't seen him for a while, he'd be like, "I ain't seen you in a dog's age! How ya been?" May the Hecate guide him with her lantern to the land of the dead and beyond, into his next life. May the Gods and Goddesses protect him and guide him, as well as the faerie. We love you, Marty.

Wow! What a loss for the skating community! I remember many Adult National Competitions that I was able to spend around Marty. Although he wasn't my coach he was great to be around. His quiet nature was very calming and he always was available for his students. Marty had a quirky sense of humor that I appreciated very much. He was a great guy and will be missed alot! I pray much comfort for his family, friends, and students.

Below, was written the day after Marty passed, and I was sad -- it was so sudden. Almost a week later, I can remember the good things, and be grateful for the time we had him in the world....
BLADE of a tailor's scissors, BLADE of a coach's skate,
thought I'd see him next week, now it's too late
Marty's passing RIPS the FABRIC of the Colorado Springs skating community and CUTS me to the quick.
It's not about me, but makes me so sad I feel sick....
He was the Billy Goat Gruff,
and felt strongly about stuff...
It TEARS my heart, it tears my eyes.... I will miss his CUTTING opinions, he was oh so wise.
He felt strongly about things, he always wanted the skaters to shine
So, this is just a rhyme, to remember his time.
I am just so sorry and will miss him... Sertich will never be quite the same, but when I walk in there it will always make me smile and remember him.

My daughter Melanie and I first met Marty 11 years ago in Pueblo when he was a coach in the Learn-to-Skate program. He also choreographed a few of the Christmas shows. He was Melanie's coach from 2005-2007. Two of her favorite dresses were made by Marty's beautiful creativity. Marty was one-of-a-kind! He taught us both more than just figure skating. It's hard to imagine the skating world without him. He touched everyone's heart that had the pleasure of knowing him in more ways than I think he even imagined he could. As gruff and outspoken as sometimes he was - he was really just a big ol' teddy bear. We will miss him and he won't ever be far from our thoughts. God Bless you Marty.

Walking into Sertich Ice Center will never be the same. I'll always be looking for Marty and getting one of his big bear hugs. He coached my daughter for several years and taught her much more about life than just skating. He was unique and if you asked for his opinion, well you got it.
I'll never forget his complaints of the rink playing Christmas music too early! Scrooge---hardly. At the last lesson before Christmas he always handed out gifts to his skaters and their families.
Marty, you were one of a kind, never to be replaced.

I am so saddened at the loss of our friend and coach Marty Martino. Heather and I loved him with all our hearts. He was such a special person who knew how to bring out the best in everyone. I am so thankful to have known him and I know that Heather will never forget the life lessons he taught her. He always had a hug and a smile for Heather and I know she will miss his humor while coaching her. Marty was such a talented man. He made the most beautiful costumes and always showed an interest in Heather's life outside of her skating. We will miss him so much but our life is enriched because we knew him.

I am so sorry for the loss of my beloved coach and mentor Marty Martino. I loved him with all my heart and will miss him the rest of my life. He always displayed his love for me and my mom everytime we saw him, which was 3 times a week for skating lessons. Marty made me feel like I was the most beautiful and important little girl in the world. He always gave me a great big smile and a bear hug at the end of my lessons. I will miss his "pet" names for me, the most endearing of which was "zippy". I will strive for the rest of my life to honor Marty's memory by being the best I can be at everything I try to do. I am so thankful that I was at his bedside and was able to give him one last smile and a great big hug! I know that he will be watching me from heaven.

Our deepest sorrows on the loss of our friend and coach Marty. He was a wonderful coach, but even more than that he was a friend to my mom and I. I will never forget all of the wonderful things he has done for me. We thank God for being able to know such a great person. We will miss his smile and his fun ways, but even more we will miss a person who greatly cared for us. He will always hold a special place in our hearts and will always be remembered for his love and kindness.
Here is a poem I wrote:

Taken

You love a person,
They’re taken just like that.
How can it happen ?
I don’t understand.
It was so unexpected.
I’m so sad,
So mad.
There’s no chance for goodbyes.
No last hug,
You’re gone in a flash,
Just like that.
What will I do now,
How can I live another day,
Without seeing you ?


Dedicated to : Marty Martino (1937-2009)

Written By : Heather Padilla
March 2nd, 2009

Our deepest condolances on the loss of Marty. He was my coach as a child and was currently my daughters coach. We will miss his loving, generous nature. The memory of his sense of humor, his strength, and his smile will comfort us for the rest of our lives. I hope the memories you have of your Brother will comfort you. I thank god for the opportunity to know such a wonderful man. My daughter Hannah will forever be grateful to have shared a small part of his life.