Praying for all of the Martin's this Holiday..Michael was so special to everyone and no words can explain how we have thought of each and everyone of you this Holiday Season.. May God lift you all and may Peace be with you.. Terri and Tommy McNeill

Michael was an indescribable person! To me he was a genius in everything, spanning from mathematics to drama. I can clearly remember many exams where several students were praying for a curve, and Michael broke the curve with his %100, every time!! His calm and gentle spirit was appreciated and he has left an everlasting mark on our Paxon Family. 

With a heavy heart,

Our deepest sympathy to all the Martin family. We were sorry that we could not attend the funeral. You will be in our thoughts and prayers.

I am Michael's eldest sister, Katie. I need to share a memory of Micky(i forever used that nickname). He was four years old at preschool and i went to pick him up one day. I looked for him on the small playground but he wasn't with his usual classmates. I found him walking and holding hands with a little two year old. I said hello. Micky began to explain "This is my baby friend. The boys were pushing her down so i saved her". I lightly chucked because it never surprised me that Micky had a heart of gold. We went home to our now beloved home on Merwyn Road. I need to convey Michael was born with a beautiful soul that he will never lose. Thank you for everyones prayers and love during the loss of my dear baby brother, Michael or as I will always call him, Micky.

I am proud to have known Michael during my years at Paxon. He was truly a funny and kind individual who I will not forget.

I taught Michael in the 4th and 8th grade. He was such an intelligent and kind hearted young man. I am so saddened to hear of his passing. My prayers are with his family and friends.

"Closest friend through middle school at CTK, and online gaming through high school.  This comes to me with such pain to hear a great friend that brought intelligence and laughter to others is no longer with us.  My thoughts and prayers go out to the family through this difficult time.  I and many others will always cherish the fun times we had with this remarkably human being.  Michael your life will on in my memory and I'm sure countless others."

         I went to elementary and middle school with Michael at Christ the King. Michael was good a friend and when I look back, I cannot believe that the last time I saw him was so long ago.  I always loved being around Michael for a number of reasons.
         Michael was incredibly smart, but he never rubbed it in your face. If anything, Michael was always willing to help me out. I knew that just being in the presence of Michael would increase my grade point average significantly and Michael was probably the main reason I passed science class. 
        Michael also had a wonderful sense of sarcasm and humor that made class a little less monotonous and way more interesting. I will never forget going to an 8th grade Halloween party with Michael. Everyone was dressed up in scary costumes or cute dresses and then there was Michael dressed up as a Wal-Mart greeter. The best part of his costume was when someone went up to talk to him, Michael would perk up and say," Hi! Welcome to Wal-Mart! Can I get you a cart?"   
         What I loved most about Michael was how kind he was. In middle school, it's hard not to feel pressure to fit in or to pretend to be someone different to belong. With Michael, I never had to worry about that. He accepted anyone for who they were and I always felt comfortable being myself around him.  It's a rare quality to have at such a young age, a great one too. 
      The world lost an amazing person and a good friend. Michael will have a special place in my memory and in my heart. As long as I am around, Michael will always be loved, remembered, and prayed for. Rest peacefully my friend.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time.  Your Assumption family is praying for you.

John and Family,
I am so incredibly sorry for your loss. Being such good friends with John, I was so excited when Michael decided to take IB bio so that I could get to know him better. He was usually so quiet in class that at first, it was difficult for me to get a sense of his personality. However, grading his tests and homework gave me a very different insight. On almost every assignment, he would include jokes or funny comments, along with the correct answer, of course. It was through these little side comments that I was able to see his hilarious and sarcastic sense of humor. 

I'll also never forget the one and only time I saw him laugh. One day in class when I pulled the projector screen down, I accident pulled it off the wall and it came crashing down on me. I made some hilarious joke (obviously) about how strong I was, and I'm not sure if Michael was laughing with me or at me, but none-the-less, I made him laugh. 

May Michael rest in peace.

Michael was a great guy, but I don't really think words can do him justice. He was sharp as a whip, funny, known for his sass and perfect(ly sarcastic) comedic timing. We became really close in junior year, especially during the Florida State Thespian Festival, where I got to see his comedic genius for the first time.

We were approached outside one of the competition rooms by three teenage strangers who were going around collecting people's phone numbers in order to find people to hang out with after the festival. They lived hours away from Jacksonville, we'd never seen them before in our lives, and super awkward, but I already had my phone out and didn't want to make things even weirder by flat-out refusing.

But Michael was amazing  without so much as pausing or taking a breath, he launched into Spanish, standing up tall and creating this persona  "Carlos Salazar"  with which to introduce himself to them. It took all I had to keep my composure, but we laughed about that for months after the fact. Even now I still have him in contacts as "Carlos Salazar". And that was just one of our many great moments together.

As Thespians came to a close and we realized spending all day hanging out together wouldn't work with our school schedules, we excitedly made plans for the next year's festival, texting for the entire bus ride home from Tampa. And then until late that night. And the next day and the one after that. And just like that, we fell into a steady routine of constantly texting each other.

Reading through all our logs earlier today, I smiled and burst out laughing more times in one sitting than I could possibly hope to count. We had so much fun over text  at any given time we probably had 3-5 different conversations going at once. And they were never conversations of the same tone, either. We exchanged information about theatre theorists for class, had philosophical discussions, and played games where we would send riddles embedded with obscure pop culture references, give funny explanations for the hundreds of Japanese emoticons I had on my phone (often strange ones like (,_) and ()o), and pick apart each other's logic and quote each other out of context.

Looking back at the plethora of memories we shared, I'm so grateful that Michael and I became close friends. I'll treasure the time I was lucky enough to spend with him for the rest of my life.

Reading through our logs earlier, there was a particular message he sent that I knew I just had to share. There's not very much context behind it and it's not deep at all, but I feel like it perfectly captures the spirit of all the fun we had. And I just know Michael would grin seeing me quote this without the context, just like he knew I would eventually.

Jenny, Tyler and girls.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time.

I had the pleasure of working closely with Michael as part of the tech crew for several plays at Paxon. Not only was he incredibly diligent and hard-working, he also always knew how to make the best out of any situation. His company helped to make tech a genuinely enjoyable experience. 

On one particularly exciting day, he came up with an idea to pass the time: we would all take turns sending a roll of tape down the auditorium in between the seats, and count how many rows of seats we could make it down before it hit one of the legs (And of course, we kept a score card and everything).

It's times like these that make up my memory of Michael. He will be greatly missed.

I remember Michael sat right behind me in our TOK class. I was intimidated at first because I was already aware of his intelligence. I often called him a genius and he would laugh and insist that he wasn't. I really enjoyed his sarcasm and his humor. It's because of Michael that I was also able to catch on the writing style of our essays in English. He helped me with that one day and even gave me his formula for writing essays. I often joked around with him and called him brother. He would smile and agree that we were family. One day, I went to Michael stressed because I wanted to put together an act of kindness for one of our friends that had just been through a tragic accident. Michael agreed to help and even participate and I was delighted and for his help I am forever grateful. Shortly after, I asked Michael if I bought him a bracelet, if he would wear it. He said yes and was surprised that I bought him a bracelet with his name of it. To my surprise, I saw him wear that bracelet everyday. He was a really nice person. I am extremely happy to have known such a kind, beautiful soul. Once again, I am forever grateful to Michael. May he rest in peace. I will be sending a lot of prayers as well as my condolences to the family.

The clearest memory I have of Michael is from our AP European History class during Sophomore year in high school. Our teacher at the time had us give presentations and Michael did his on The Seven Years War. I remember how he started off by giving the basic informationGreat Britain vs. France, also known as the French and Indian Warthen saying, with complete astonishment in his voice, And did you know, the Seven Years War lasted seven years? The entire class laughed, and when I told my dad the story later that afternoon, he laughed too.

It's a small memory, but to me it speaks a lot about his character. Michael was the type of person who was always quick on his feet. His sharp wit allowed him to make puns and jokes that made everyone laugh. He was also the type of guy who wanted more from his education than basic regurgitationhe didn't just want to spit out facts, he wanted his presentation to be more interactive. He excelled in every class I ever took with him and I remember always wanting to push myself so i could be on the same level as him. When we had Spanish class together junior year, he was one of the only students who spoke in Spanish for the entire hour.

I have so many other small memories, like how he once told me he wished he could listen to more 50's music, but he never really had the chance to truly get into the era. So for his birthday I made him a playlist filled with Elvis and Buddy Holly. It felt good to see his genuine appreciation. I remember how hard he tried to hide his middle name from me, and it became almost a mission to find it out. When I finally learned what it was, he said, "Shh," and told me to keep it a secret. Sometimes we would both complain about a friend's dog, and bond over how annoyed we got by its incessant barking, but then talk about how cute she was. I remember going to the fair with him an a few other friends and watching him ride one of the horses on the carousel with a straight face, causing all of us to burst out into uncontrollable laughter. And he would push me to get in line for all the rides that scared me, promising that I would enjoy ithe was right.

Michael was so intelligent and kind, sometimes a little straightforward, but always honest and genuine. I remember him as a great person who always made people laugh, as someone who everyone loved to be around.

Michael was a person like no other and a person I didn't really meet until orientation for FSU despite going to the same high school. Talking with Michael during that orientation gave me greater insight into the mind which up until that point I had only heard referred to as "remarkable" or "genius." Although I greatly appreciated being able to talk to someone who I could have thought provoking conversations with our greatest moments came from when we were goofing off.

Some of my favorite moments with Michael involved a creature named "Crog" which stood for creepy dog. Quite an interesting creature really, we pretended he embodied a great evil and used that idea for reoccurring comedic pleasure. We used to make up jokes about how Crog watched Michael's apartment and if any stranger tried to enter he would simply peer into their soul and the stranger would slowly walk away full of new found and incomprehensible terror.

Michael and I also shared many adventures together. Most of which involved going to Publix for fried chicken, which we would either split the cost of or argue about who would pay depending on who was up in treating the other at the moment. My favorite adventure however, was when I needed Michael to hold onto a printer and book shelf for me for a while. Michael suggested that we just carry them on foot to his place. I had a feeling it'd be a bad idea but his place wasn't too far, so why not. My goodness was it an awful trip. We had to take several breaks, people were looking at us funny, and the bookshelf ended up breaking so we just threw it away. Naturally I complained the whole time about how awful an idea that was, but it was still a lot of fun because the adventure was with Michael.

Michael Martin forever holds a piece of my heart and I like to think I hold a piece of his. He wasn't special to me just because of the time we spent together. Michael had a truly upstanding character. Honesty, fairness, and compassion; out of context you wouldn't be able to tell if I was talking about a University's pillars of character or just a part of Michael's own moral standards. My life has been touched by this incredible man and for that I am eternally grateful.

To the family I'd like to say you all raised an outstanding young man that I was proud to call my friend and in these difficult times all we can do is look towards each other and the future while keeping the past in our hearts.

My favorite memories of Michael were sophomore year, when Michael would walk into our Spanish teacher Mrs. Sternberg's classroom each and every morning, look at her and say "howdy." Mrs. Sternberg would then express her disbelief that Michael would say such a thing, in Spanish, of course, and we would all be laughing behind her.

It was these types of things that made Michael such a likeable person. We all respected him; he was and always will be part of our IB family.

I am sorry for your loss. He was raised well, and you will be in my prayers.

We are sending lots of prayers and love for family and friends.

I am so sorry for the loss of your son and brother.  I wish I had words that would help with the pain, but I will offer prayers that God will wrap His loving arms around your family so that you may lean on Him.

Michael was in my pre-calculus class at Paxon.  I already knew of his intelligence from his algebra 2 teacher, Ms. Bean, so I was looking forward to having him in class.  His intelligence surpassed anything that I had heard.  What a gifted mathematics student he was.

He was very quiet in class, never asking questions, but always offering insight into another way one could go about doing a problem.  He also caught any mistakes I made in class.  He never corrected me in a rude or disrespectful way.  It was more of trying to be helpful, and not let an untruth remain, which I appreciated.

I told John that I never saw Michael smile in class, and it was my goal that year to get a smile from Michael.  John told me about Oz and said to try to bring Oz into a comment I made.  It took a couple of weeks, but I was able to mention Oz in class, and I got a slight smile in return from Michael.  It wasn't as big as the one in his senior picture, but it was a smile, nevertheless.

MIchael was a breath of fresh air for me the year I taught him.  He took in everything I was teaching and seemed to want more.  He never complained and was always conscientious and diligent in his work.  If he missed a problem on a test (which was very rare),  I would look at my work to see if I had done it wrong.  It was such a pleasure and honor to have had him in my class and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to teach someone like him in my last years of teaching. My prayers are with all of you.

Michael was ALWAYS my go-to guy for tech in the theatre. I'd tell him what I needed or what I had in mind.  He'd listen quietly --- his face clearly showing that he was already deep in thought.  

When he told me he'd figured something out, I never had to go behind him and check.  The job would be done! On time and as I wanted. My husband loved working with him because there was NEVER a quality issue.  

We ALL depended on him.  When he graduated, it left a huge hole.
  
His ironic humor was legendary.  He saw the humor in almost everything. I will miss his wry smile and soft chuckle.

Such a painful loss for so special a family. I am privileged to have taught Becky, Patrick and Michael. I am honored to have taught John and also taught TOK with him. So I know something of the heart of this family. My heart breaks for all of you.
To Mom and Dad, may your children be a source of comfort to you.
I wish all of you peace and eventual joy in the many memories you share of such a sweet son and brother.

Michael was a joy to teach, as each of you was. He was bright, insightful and funny. His compassion was humbling. I missed him when he graduated and I hurt that he is gone.
I pray that you will find strength and peace in each other.

Michael will be miss by everyone. Sending prayers to his family and friends.  
All my love,
Sara, Justin, and Logan.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. With much love..

The news of Michael's passing evoked a deep sadness in my heart. I am praying for strength for the people who called him friend, cousin, nephew, brother, and son.

All my love,
Chris

Dearest John & Family,
I can't begin to express my sorrow for the loss of such a funny, smart and wonderful human being.  He has left a huge imprint on my heart.  Life seems very unfair at times like these.  I cannot offer a religious solution, but you all should celebrate his life by remembering him and cherishing each other.

John, you know how much I love and respect you.  I will always be available if you need to talk.  I will listen to your words and tears. Just let me know.  I love you.

My heart is just broken for you. I love your family so much, in fact I feel as though I am a part of you. Harry and I have been praying incessantly for you. God be with you. Much love, Harry and Betty Brown.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your parents and family. Love and prayers

OBITUARY

Michael David Martin

December 24, 1995 – August 11, 2015

Hardage - Giddens Greenlawn Funeral Home and Cemetery

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