Clifford G. Martin's Obituary
CLIFFORD GENE MARTIN (July 1937- February 2026)- Public educator, avid fisherman, first class rose gardener, advanced square dancer, accomplished golfer, lifelong WSU Cougar, ardent Democrat, and the best husband/dad/grandpa/friend a person could have, passed away in Tacoma at the age of 88 after a brief illness.
Cliff grew up in Starbuck WA, a town of about 200, where he absorbed all the lessons of his childhood from a rural area known for its unique, picturesque, and steep rolling hills (loess hills) formed by ice-age sediment, one of the most productive agricultural areas in the U.S., renowned for high-yield dryland wheat farming, lentils, peas, asparagus, and cattle ranching. In his youth, Cliff’s work ethic and integrity were formed from his experience on Allen Sprout’s wheat farm, where he worked for 10 summers, and his work as a ranch hand cowboy for one of the last horse-driven cattle drives from the Palouse, across Idaho into Montana.
The son of Helen (nee Hatfield) and Jesse Martin, and brother to Doren (Dode), Patricia, and Lynn, all of whom predeceased him, Cliff was a truly self-made man. He was the only sibling to break away from Starbuck’s small school to attend high school in Dayton (where he was student body president and played on the football and basketball teams) and the only one in his immediate family to go to college. It was at his beloved Washington State College that he met and married Josephine (Jo) Hendrickson, a partnership that would last 67 years until his passing.
Cliff’s stint in the ROTC and then the U.S. Army Reserves, brought the young family to the Tacoma area in 1960, where they ultimately settled. Despite being a history major, Cliff used his minor in mathematics to teach in the Tacoma School District for over 32 years, at Jason Lee Jr. High, Gray Jr. High and eventually Stadium High School. During these years he served at each school as head of the Math Department and coached several school teams, including girls’ softball, boys’ and girls’ basketball and, of course, many math teams. He also supplemented the family income every summer for 25 years painting houses all over the Tacoma area.
Cliff was an inquisitive and industrious person who filled his hours with hobbies and DIY projects, with a motto that duct tape fixed just about everything. He was an avid reader--mostly histories and westerns that told the stories of his forefathers who came to this country in 1707 and were among the first to settle in the Touchet Valley in what is now Eastern Washington. His many interests ranged from helping Jo raise award-winning roses in their garden (and himself serving as president of the Tacoma Rose Society and receiving the prestigious Bronze Medal Award for outstanding service), to competing in the Men’s Club at Highland Golf Course where he recorded 9 holes-in-one, was Men’s Club Champion for three consecutive years (2004-2006) and was honored with a Golden (lifetime) Membership in recognition of his participation and service.
Cliff was incredibly kind and social, and he loved to tell a good story or joke, of which he knew many. He had many lifelong friends and fishing and golf buddies, several of whom predeceased him, but remained in his heart, as he will remain in ours. Cliff is survived by his wife, Jo, his son, Bruce, grandchildren Jesse and Kennedy, his daughter Brenda (husband Bill), and his beloved pup, Maggie. As our friends at Raft Island Roses put it, the world lost a good one with your passing, Dad. Rest in peace until we see you again.
A celebration of Cliff’s life will be held at Mountain View Funeral Home, Aspen Chapel, 4100 Steilacoom Blvd. SW, Lakewood, WA, on March 16, 2026, at 2:00 pm.
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