Todd Harold Martyn

Todd Harold Martyn, was born May 18, 1956 and peacefully passed away mid morning on August 18, 2023 at Oak Ridge Hospice, Port Perry.  

Todd was the third son of the late Dora and Harold Martyn and spent his entire life in his beloved village of Blackstock. Todd has given us all a lesson in living. He showed us how to slow down and appreciate each day, to be kind, to be non judgemental, to smile and laugh and accept what life has given you without nary a complaint. He taught us to pull weeds, pick raspberries, do wordsearches, and to simply enjoy sitting on a front porch drinking Coca Cola. And on the day before he died, he taught us to never pass up doing something for the first time. Todd had his first ever massage on August 17.  Anton massaged Todds arms and legs and shoulders and Todd relaxed into his memories.

After many carpool rides with both Blair and Dave Bentley and tomfoolery with his coworker Kivor, Todd retired from GM in 2008. In retirement Todd became the all-season bicycle rider on the streets of Blackstock. Every morning there would be a yellow safety jacket atop a yellow Giant bike peddling thru town returning home in time to wake up Kelly or stop to visit Ron. Todd also cut wood and had the neatest woodpiles in town. Family, neighbours, friends and his motorcycle group, The Flying Circus, were most important to Todd. Everyone stood by him as he battled health issues.

Todd leaves his loved wife Kelly. In his final days Todd was still checking to be sure Kelly was okay. And in his weakest hour he kissed her goodbye. Kelly said Todd made her the person she is today teaching her to be kind to everyone. He also introduced her to motorcycling and camping. They married in 1991 and went on a cross country motorcycle trip for their honeymoon.  In the following years they traveled Canada (except Newfoundland) and nearly every state on their BMW bike.

Uncle to Amanda, Luke and Keiko, Josh and Christina, Julia and Mihir, and Brian and Tim. Amanda died as an infant but he announced on the evening she was born that he was “going to totally spoil her”.   The others he introduced to Happy Meals, movies theatres, GM picnics, Tonka Trucks, his Elmo collection and guessing how many jelly beans were in a jar. He is truly the best uncle any of them could ask for.  And he delighted in his greats; Sena, Hunter and Scarlett, and Ruby.

Todd is a son- in- law to Doreen and the late Don Clarke, a brother-in-law to Lynda Whitney and Dave Ingham all of Norwood. He is also brother-in-law to Jim and Jan Byers, and Ellie Martyn, brother to Blair, who passed away in 2008, and Ron all of Blackstock.

Kelly wishes to thank everyone who joined them on this journey, particularly this past month. Thanks to family who offered unending support, friends who were loyal visitors, neighbours Kathy and Bob, John and Cathy who drove them to appointments, and Anne Marie and Neil who answered 2:00 a.m. calls, ran across the yard to assist and visited on the porch. Doctor Merrilee Brown who held hands and provided information so Todd could make decisions. She was truly invaluable to Todd’s gentle, comfortable and peaceful final week of life. Also, thanks to the staff at R.S. McLaughlin Durham Regional Cancer Centre who made the last 2 years of chemo as comfortable as possible. And much thanks to Naomi and Mary from ParaMed who provided gentle loving home care to Todd.  And lastly to the entire group of incredible souls at Oak Ridge Hospice in Port Perry.  Words are inadequate to thank these people who embraced us all with love, cookies, tea, massages, laughter and tears. Thank you all.

Be kind to one another.

All is well.

Kelly invites everyone to their home for a Front Yard Gathering to Celebrate Todd on Sunday, September 24, from 1:00 to 3:00 to share some of Todd’s favourites; cheese, pickles and Black Forest Cake. At 1:30 there will be a sharing of Todd Memories.