Michael C. Martin was born on January 16, 1956, five minutes after his identical twin brother, Dave, weighing only two pounds. His parents, Dorothy and David Martin, alternated their time between home and the hospital to care for the twins until Mike came home.

He and his brother were mirror twins. While Dave excelled in school Mike was an athlete. His parents were part of a consortium that brought the Phoenix Roadrunners to Arizona. Mike attended practices and met professional players, which inspired him to learn to skate. Hockey became a passion, and he played recreational hockey for 35 years.

Mike pursued his career with the fire department with the same fervor. He took fire science at the local community college, spent time at local stations before being hired, and took his training seriously. To him, it was a calling more than a career. At 27, he became a born-again Christian, which lent new meaning to his work for the department. He wanted to be Jesus with skin to all those he encountered. He was shy, yet his faith emboldened him to comfort those he attended in their worst hour.

At 32, Mike met the woman he would marry when he responded to an ad in a personal column. They dated for four months, parted ways, then found one another 15 years later through the internet. This time he could not escape the determined Latina who would become his wife, best friend, prayer partner, fellow hockey fanatic, and caregiver. They had a perfect Christ-centered marriage for 17 years before God took him home.

Mike was passionate about his faith, hockey, and golden retrievers. His wife was also an animal lover, and at one time the menagerie included six dogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, an iguana, and a gerbil. While living on lake-adjacent property they fed wild waterfowl that would follow their car in flight as they returned home.

Mike often said, “We are blessed among blessed.” He freely gave to the church, charities, and disaster relief. He provided “Angel Loans” to those who found themselves in urgent need, saying, “You can repay us when you can.” At his passing he forgave all outstanding loans. He made friends with homeless men he encountered, sharing a meal and providing his cell number for future contact.

He was diagnosed with occupational bladder cancer in 2019 and given six months to live. His faith carried him through chemo, removal of his bladder, and hospitalization. He accepted it with a smile, comfort, and a kind word for all he encountered. He was beloved by many. He made the most of the five years post diagnosis and is surely with Jesus today. He had an unremarkable life, yet well lived and well loved.