Bradley David Martin

Kind-hearted. Generous. A good man. Loved. Extremely creative. Unbelievably funny. Gentle. Easy-going. Loving. Adventurous. World traveler. Storyteller. Jimi Hendrix-guitar-playing rocker. “Somewhere over the Rainbow” on the ukulele lover. Grand Canyon hiker with John, climber, teacher, motorcycle camper (motorcycle camper?!), wisdom-imparting sage, “too cool uncle”. All of these descriptions came from essays describing Brad. There are stories of his remarkable thoughtfulness, of his instant offers of help to those he loved and to strangers, his absolutely perfect gifts, his wicked sense of humor, his completely charming and clever manipulation of his loved ones, his desire to make every moment count – and his intense need get to every one of those moments at the speed of light.

His favorite book might seem out of place given the above, but to those who knew Brad, it is the only book that makes sense. It was the Tao Te Ching with its illuminating offerings of wisdom, and one beautiful line that is especially perfect for this memorial service: “The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long.” Those few powerful words attempt to capture Brad’s short – but mighty – life.

But then could a few short words EVER capture Brad’s life? Could an encyclopedia? He was so multi-faceted, mysterious, and fascinating. An enigma, a complicated puzzle who kept many of his precious thoughts and feelings to himself. More adjectives: perceptive. Insightful. Humble. Technology wizard. Respectful. Nature lover. He was easily accessible, but not a man who shared everything with everybody. People inevitably wanted to know more about him. When he chose to reveal one of his ‘secret ingredients’ to another, the person on the receiving end always knew that something fabulous was happening.

Brad had a writer’s eye and could pick up nearly imperceptible nuances, absorb them, store them, and then share his feast with the right person at the most perfect moment possible. He didn’t reveal every part of himself to everyone. But when he did – you knew it. Completely. You were in his inner circle.

Most people would never have been able to create so many unforgettable memories if they lived to be 100, but with a great lawyer’s efficiency, Brad managed to spread around an entire lifetime’s worth of joy and fun and laughter and wisdom and all-around “coolness” in just 44 wonderful years. To be able to leave his fingerprints on so many hearts is one of the gifts he has left us. His interests were nurtured and explored. He traveled extensively, listened, observed, and learned, then came back home to share his stories, knowledge, and the intellectual bounty that comes with the discovery of new cultures, new ideas, new people, and a variety of new Margaritas.

He had the remarkable ability to see people and truths as they were: not as they appeared, but as they actually were. He noticed – and felt -

every nuance, every layer, every tiny change in tone or movement, and connected with others on a level that most people don’t. His profound compassion prevented him from ever turning away from those who needed his help. He was a man who instinctively did the right thing for the right reason.

Brad did so many things, loved and was loved by so many people that it must have been difficult to move on to his next adventure. But Brad was fearless, and that gives us just a small amount of peace.

Every time Molly takes a step in her crazy socks, Brad will be walking by her side. When Ashley wonders, “Should I do this?” she will hear Brad’s voice saying, “Life is too short to be unhappy.” When John swims laps and eventually masters the flip turn, he’ll surely hear Brad saying, “Way to go, Dad!” When Jeanne passes an Apple store, she’ll know that Brad has all of the latest equipment in heaven and is having a blast with it. When Mary walks along coastlines or cobblestone paths listening to music, she’ll wonder if Brad would interpret the song the same way that she does. Marisa and Alex will miss their Uncle Brad who always remembered their birthdays, always sent them gifts for Christmas and told them stories about his little sister (their mother). When Melissa sees the many contrasts in the world, she will remember Brad, and his passion for dark and heady music and movies balanced on the other side with the simple amusement of animated sitcoms. And whenever there’s a power outage, Lynn will think of her brother. Brad worked for Superior Energy in New Orleans when the power went out at the Super Bowl. She sent him a text asking if he had anything to do with it. Within seconds, she received a reply:” When I get my stapler back, I’ll turn their lights on!”

Brad is survived and missed tremendously by his grandmother Mary Maureen Martin, his mother Jeanne Bleuer, his father John Martin, his step mother Molly Resnik, his sister Lynn Martin, his nieces Ashley and Marisa DiGiuseppe, his nephew Alex DiGiuseppe, his wife Mary Martin, and his good friends Dave Kurtz and Melissa Harrell.