Charles Anthony “Tony” Martin left us for a forever fishing trip on February 29, 2024. He was preceded in death by his mother, Ethel Hubbard Martin, and father, Edwin Bishop Martin, and special cousin, Patricia Ferdinando.
Tony is dearly missed by his daughters, Melissa Martin (Charity), Jennifer Whitley (Andy), his beloved grandchildren, Morgan Grady (Tyler), Jordan Wilson (Mike), and Owen, Gavin, and Landon Whitley; and his great grandchildren Brooklyn Grady and Porter and Fisher Wilson. He will forever be remembered by his three brothers, Butch, Bruce, and Jimmy; his special cousin, Lisa Ferdinando; and his many nieces, great nieces and nephews, as well as his close friends Camille Moseley, Nick Dubois, and Adrian Ballard.
Tony was born in Wilmington, NC on October 23, 1953 and lived in Wilmington his entire life. He LOVED this city and the people in it and had so many great childhood stories about riding his bike around town, swimming in Greenfield Lake, and fishing from Johnny Mercer’s Pier. He was an avid fisherman and anyone who was lucky enough to go out on the boat with him for the day, knew they’d bring home a catch or two.
Tony was a master of jokes and arbitrary trivia; he enjoyed sharing both with everyone he met. He loved classic rock, Star Trek, Harry Potter, the Miami Dolphins, and most of all, he loved his family. He was the best “Bugga” to his grands and great-grands and he never missed the opportunity to spend time with them, attend their many activities, and to show his love for them. He never met an animal he didn’t love and the feeling was mutual. We called him the animal whisperer and all of the family pets are now sharing in our grief at his loss. Everyone will miss his famous peanut butter balls and fudge, the nutcracker explosion at Christmas, and the tall fishing tales he always told. Most of all we will miss him showing up 30 minutes early for family dinner or events, his “text me when you get home” reminders, and the “love you” at the end of every phone call or visit. Tony had a heart of gold, and even until the day he left us, everyone praised his sweet and kind nature. He was undoubtedly one of the good ones, and this loss will be felt for a lifetime.
The family is inviting you to join us for his celebration of life on Sunday, March 17th from 2 - 3 PM at Coble Funeral Chapel at Greenlawn at 1155 Shipyard Blvd. The family will receive family and friends from 1 - 2 PM.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that charitable contributions be made in Tony’s honor to Lower Cape Fear LifeCare.
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