WACO, Texas (KWTX) – The Waco community is mourning the loss of Jonathan Martin, a teacher, a creator, and a role model.
“I wonder if he knew how many people looked to him as a role model and to the Martin family as an oasis of kindness, hospitality, laughter, love, and a source of support and advice,” Fiona Bond, of Creative Waco, said .
“An incredible example to everyone around him, always had a great positivity to him, and I always felt so comfortable to share anything that was on my mind,” Corey McEntyre, of Milo All Day, said.
Jonathan co-founded Black Oak Art and Gather in Downtown Waco, touching the lives of so many people who now mourn this incredible loss.
“Jonathan is a family man, a man of faith, honor, integrity,” Peter Ellis, a colleague of Martin, said. “I’m honored to be a part of his life for a decade at least. 10 years ago, there wasn’t as much happening and he was a major catalyst, an ideation guy, very good creative, and was on the front end of so much.”
“He was a wonderful, big-hearted, immensely likable person,” Bond said. “He had that rare combination of being action based, a visionary, able to dream big, able to create consistently but also able to turn his ideas into reality.”
Through his creation and influence, his legacy will live on.
“I have things in my kitchen that were made by him,” Bond said. “I have things that I use every day that I absolutely love that were made by Jonathan.”
“He and Sara are definitely top 10 people that helped me pursue my dream and that’s the legacy that I will always have of him is sharing a new plate idea and my mind would go to what kind of food I’m going to put on it ,” McEntyre said.
“Jonathan’s death is just a huge loss for our community,” Bond said. “He leaves, I would say, an unfillable gap and will be missed by many many people.”
Jonathan Martin was 43 years old.
Copyright 2022 KWTX. All rights reserved.
This content was originally published here.
