Dr. Martin F. Welsh

The community of Placerville lost a unique and special man on Thursday October 28, 2010. Dr. Martin Frederick Welsh, 56, passed away at his Camino home surrounded by his family. This gentle man’s remarkable spirit will be sorely missed.

He was born in Los Angeles on March 20, 1954, the eldest of six children. At an early age he excelled in school and pretty much anything he set out to accomplish. Martin was a role model and inspiration to his younger siblings. He loved sports, music, math and science. He knew that he wanted to become a doctor at a very early age. This vision spurred Martin to the top of his class all 4 years of high school and to become the valedictorian. He graduated from UCLA undergrad “magnum cum lade”.

In 1980 Martin graduated from UCLA medical school, and conducted his residency at the Ventura County Family Practice program where he was also Chief Resident. Here he became known for not only his keen intellect but, his wicked sense of humor and ability to create order out of chaos in the blink of an eye. Martin’s dream was to become a small town family doctor. He wanted his life’s work to be centered in a rural community, serving the health and wellness of generations of families.

Martin’s life dreams were realized in 1983, when he moved, with his then wife -Devin and two small children, Carey and Kevin, to Placerville, setting up a family medical practice. Some 1,500-plus people soon called “Marty” their personal doctor and their friend. Martin was energetic, passionate and brilliant in his role as family doctor. He worked tirelessly, even making “house calls” to patients who were unable to visit his office. He was deeply admired by his peers.

Martin was a tireless supporter of Marshall Hospital. In 1990, he served as Chief of Staff and from 1985 – 1994 a board member of the Marshall Hospital Foundation. He was known for his commitment to quality and served as chair on quality improvement and diabetes care committees. He was the Director of the Cameron Park office of Marshall Center for Primary Care. He continued his role as teacher by serving as an assistant clinical professor for the UC Davis Family Practice Program. His reputation as a disciplined and skillful doctor made him a sought after teacher among the student doctors and nurse practitioners.

Martin also found time to participate in a variety of other interests that centered on his love of sports and music. Very active in sports, he coached his kids’ basketball team and played in a basketball league and he ran a marathon. He started his own rock and roll band, Therapy, and wrote, produced and copywrited a CD entitled “A Little Therapy”.

Martin married a second time, in 2002, to Maureen Gill , his beloved wife. He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig ’s disease) in the spring of 2004.

Challenged by this progressively fatal disease he continued to display his over the top “damn the torpedoes” attitude. He practiced medicine as long as his disease allowed and volunteered with the Flying Samaritans on trips to donate medical services to the poor in San Quintin, Mexico. He traveled extensively with his wife and he joined Cameron Park Country Club. He played golf until it was impossible to stand up on at the tee box . Once retired, he wrote, travelled, and inspired others with his passion for life, wacky sense of humor, and remarkable candor about his impending death. He was proud to raise funds and awareness on behalf of the ALS Association under the banner of Marty’s Marchers at many of the annual walks.

Marty’s story and courage was the subject of much media attention during his final years. He wrote an essay “Meaning of Life” for the Los Angeles Times about his end-of-life choices; the piece was republished as “100 Things, Leading to a Single Choice” in dozens of papers throughout the country. He will be featured in a soon to be released PBS documentary, “Consider the Conversation”. Marty’s amazing philosophy about facing the end of life inspired a film maker to include him in his work about death and dying. www.considertheconversation.org

Martin is survived by his loving wife Maureen, his beloved children Carey, 31, and Kevin, 28, his daughter-in-law Kristen and one-year-old granddaughter Alexis, and his five siblings (Katie Allen, Melinda, Tony, Greg and David.)

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in memory of to Partners in Care P.O. Box 845 Placerville, CA 95667 or Sac. ALS Association, 2717 Cottage Way, Suite 8, Sacramento, CA 95825

You may express your condolences to the family at www. chapelofthepinesfunerals.com

A memorial and celebration of Martin’s life is being planned for family and friends on Saturday, November, 13th at 0930 am at Holy Trinity Church in El Dorado Hills, CA.