Skyler Brooks Martin

“Grief, I’ve learned, is really just love. It’s all the love you want to give, but cannot. All that unspent love gathers up in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat, and in that hollow part of your chest. Grief is just love with no place to go.” ― Jamie Anderson

Skyler Brooks Martin (aka Sky) from Overland Park, Kansas, was born on March 28th, 1996 and passed away suddenly on Sunday, March 19th, 2023, at age 26. He graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in 2014 and received an Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Arts from Johnson County Community College in December of 2019.

Skyler is survived by his mother, Sarah Martin, his father, Scott Martin, his brother, Colby Martin and his dog, Harley as well as his paternal grandmother, Virginia Martin and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews and many caring friends.

Friends may share their condolences at a visitation for Skyler on Friday, March 31, 2023, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Mt. Moriah, Newcomer & Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Rd., Kansas City, Missouri. A Celebration of Life will occur in the same location on Saturday, April 1, 2023, 2:00 PM, followed by a committal service at 3:00 PM at Mount Moriah Cemetery South at the same address. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to KC Pet Project, the organization from which Skyler adopted Harley. You can donate in Skyler’s name at: KC Pet Project, 7077 Elmwood Avenue, Kansas City, MO 64132; https://kcpetproject.org/donate

There are so many words that describe Skyler. He was an amazing son, brother, friend and teammate. He played hard and he worked hard. He loved his family, friends and especially his dog, Harley. He was fun-loving, curious, and adventuresome—a daredevil with a little bit of recklessness. He had such a zest for life and loved stepping out of his comfort zone and trying new things, diving headfirst in his elementary/middle school years into dirt biking, paintball and taekwondo where he earned his Black belt. He was a natural athlete. He tried all the usual sports like football, basketball, baseball, track and even lacrosse, but his love was for soccer which he began playing at around age four. He started his young career with the club team the Legends and then went on to play for KCFC. He followed in his brother Colby’s footsteps to play soccer during high school at St Thomas Aquinas and later on played on pickup teams with his friends. Skyler became an avid bowler while at Aquinas and was on the Varsity bowling team during all four years of high school. He went to State his senior year.

As a young child, Skyler was incredibly active and always kept you on your toes. He was always getting into trouble. He hunted for turtles, frogs, and snakes and zoomed around our Stilwell neighborhood on his dirt bike, the Rhino, and a golf cart. In the past few years, his passion shifted to golf, something he could share with his dad and best friends. On May 5th, 2021, he made his first hole in one. Skyler and his friend Ryan would often team up against his dad Scott and Ryan’s dad Jeff. Skyler and Ryan jokingly referred to it as being the young guys against the old guys. Within the past year or so, he had also become involved in the world of disc golf. He loved gaming on his PC and would get so involved in playing that we would have to gently remind him that the whole house could hear him and he needed to quiet down.

He developed new interests as he entered his twenties. He developed an interest in collecting high end whiskey and bourbon. He loved sharing his whiskey collection with his friends while enjoying a good cigar. He was an avid fan of country music (Morgan Whalen specifically) and loved going to Guitars and Cadillacs with his friends to dance. He played poker at Sunset Grill on Monday nights, and he continued to bowl on a team with his friends one night a week. He also began working out at Lifetime Fitness and then most recently at Chiefs Fit.

Skyler never met a stranger. His ability to engage in conversation and talk to anyone, no matter their age, was a true gift. He could and often did make you laugh even when you didn’t want to and especially if you were upset with him. He had a knack for getting his brother Colby in trouble even though Skyler was the one who should have been. He felt his emotions deeply and was a very sensitive person with a soft heart. He looked out for his friends and truly treasured the many friendships he had made over the years. He was an amazing, loyal friend to those who knew him, empathetic and caring. He would do his best to cheer them up when they were having a bad day, and in turn, his friends were always there for him too. Sky loved going over to Grandma Jenny’s to do chores for her, then sit and talk with her and Uncle Jeff. They would talk about anything and everything. He would always make them smile. Thanksgiving or Christmas would find him at his Uncle Cole and Aunt Beth’s where he would catch up with his cousins, Michael and Steven.

Skyler was an extremely dedicated hard worker. He was eager to please, and he would go the extra mile to make sure things got done. One of his first jobs was working at Crazy Joe’s Fireworks. He worked there several years around the Fourth of July and yes, he loved his fireworks. It was his favorite holiday for many years. He did a short stint as a roofing inspector/consultant and then moved on to work at Justin’s Liquors in Lenexa for several years. He left Justin’s to work for over a year as a surgical tech for a spine doctor. His true calling was to be in sales though, and he had recently returned to working at Justin’s as wholesale sales manager.

Skyler…Mom, Dad and Colby miss you so much. The hurt of not having you here is truly unbearable, and there are no words that even come close to describing the emptiness and loss we feel inside. You shouldn’t have been taken from us so soon. It doesn’t seem possible that you will never walk through our door again with your contagious smile, laugh and sarcastic humor. We are so proud of all that you accomplished and achieved in your life. We raised a truly good person. You were loved by all, and you made an impact on so many people’s lives. You will always be remembered for your caring and generous heart. You had such a passion for life, and it shone brightly. Maybe in time we will be able to move forward and try to remember to live life like you did. Until we see you again, we love you with all our hearts.

A Visitation for Skyler will be held Friday, March 31, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Mt. Moriah, Newcomer & Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64131. A Celebration of Life will occur Saturday, April 1, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at the Funeral Home. A Committal Service will follow at 3:00 PM at Mount Moriah Cemetery South.