San Rafael

Don Martin, “Marty,” was born in Erskine, Minnesota, the son of Donald W. Martin Sr. and Elnora Rode. His family moved to California when he was three years old. He lived on Alcatraz Island for seventeen years, where his Father was a prison guard and his Mother was the Post Mistress. He graduated from UC Berkeley with a Bachelor’s degree in Physics. In 1961 he married Kay Anderson in Berkeley. He then completed his military service aboard the USS Tracer, a radar picket ship.

In San Jose he worked briefly before studying for his Master’s degree in Education. His first teaching job was at College of Marin, where he was a Professor in Physics. In his 31-year-career at College of Marin he taught physics, astronomy and computer science. He was an early Apple computer adopter and started writing computer books in 1984. In 1986 he self-published, with his wife “Katie,” their first hiking book “Mt. Tam, A Hiking, Running, and Nature Guide.” He developed a unique system for drawing topographical maps.

He loved travel, hiking, golf, birdwatching, and spending time with his children and grandchildren.

He is survived by his loving wife Katie, his sister Mary Morlock, four children (Jennifer, Theresa, Susan, and Greg), and four grandchildren (Sean, Brooke, Michelle, and Meghan).

He died after a long illness with Lewy Body Dementia. In lieu of flowers, please donate in his memory tothe Lewy Body Dementia Association.