Formerly of Cove
Thomas Kipling Martin, 20, of North Bend and formerly of Cove, died June 4. Funeral services will be held at 5 p.m. Monday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in North Bend. Nelson’s Bay Area Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Kip was born May 5, 1988. He spent the first half of his school years in Cove. There he was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the scouting program. In Cove he participated in every possible school sport and the many outdoor activities available in the area. He especially enjoyed getting wood with his family and splitting it for winter. It was in the Blue Mountains that he became an excellent snowboarder. He loved and excelled at soccer and played on several undefeated teams in Cove.
In 1999, the family moved to North Bend. Kip traded in his snowboard for a Toyota mini-monster truck. He played soccer every year on North Bend school and club teams. In high school he decided to try golf because a friend was playing and golf, like everything he did, became a passion for him. He devoted many hours, sometimes at night in the rain after everyone else was home, perfecting his swing and abilities, which led to several league medalist honors and good state showings his junior and senior years.
Those who knew him say Kip had a rich life in his few years, always a competitor and always putting his all into everything he did. He was known as a loyal person to family, teams and friends. Those who knew him say Kip was the kind of person everyone loved to be around. He was quick with a smile and the first to laugh at jokes and listen to other’s worries.
He was known to have an easygoing strength, a goofy sense of humor and a gentle touch. He will be remembered for his love of nature and thoughtful hours spent alone in the mountains and on the golf course.
Survivors include his parents, Tom and Carla Martin; siblings, Austin Martin and Sara Rudolph of Portland, Denver and Blake Martin of Irvine Calif., Cara and Tyler Larson of Scottsdale, Ariz., Barry Martin of Berkley, Calif., and Taunie Martin of North Bend; grandparents, Carter and Teresa Fetsch of Lakeview, Barbara Bloom of Cove, Joyce Martin of Sacramento; nieces and nephews; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.
Kip’s family says, “In the memory of the man Kip would have become and the dreams he would have achieved had he not lost his battle with alcohol and drugs, we request donations of a stand against availability of alcohol and illegal substances and an encouraging hand to youth, many of whom are struggling with these addictions, in the hope that other families may be saved the heartache that comes from the unthinkable loss of a precious loved one.”
The Observer – August 9, 2008