The deacon known as “Happy Jack” regularly said, “I have to get two smiles a day.”
Deacon John Martin engendered those smiles as a clown and master humorist outside the pulpit, and by bringing a combination of compassion, faith and warmth while serving at Immaculate Heart of Mary in Baynesville since his 1973 ordination.
He died March 25, just six days shy of his 89th birthday, survived by his wife Pat to whom he was married for 63 years, his daughter Jude and son John Jr. (known as Michael), and his grandson Dylan.
“When people hear his name, they just say ‘Happy Jack,’ and they remember him because he was always trying to make everyone smile,” Jude said. “It was a little bit embarrassing growing up, having your dad be a clown, but as I got older, I thought ‘Nobody has a dad like mine. He’s just awesome.’”
Born in Darby, Pa., near Philadelphia and raised by Irish immigrants, he attended Our Mother of Sorrows/St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic School and was a 1956 graduate of St. Thomas More Catholic Boys High School, both in West Philadelphia. He also received a certificate in gerontology from Catonsville Community College, now part of the Community College of Baltimore County.
Deacon Martin’s secular career was mostly spent as an entrepreneur, selling pumps and other industrial apparatuses for Martin Equipment.
But his diaconate was faith-filled and full of love.
“He always said he had an iPhone, and he would open it, take the phone and open it up, and there were two eyes staring at you,” added Deacon Charlie Hiebler, who said Deacon Martin inspired his own journey into the diaconate. “He was easy to talk to. He had that clown personality who made you feel welcome. He was unassuming.”
Even his battle to survive prostate cancer a quarter-century ago never stopped him from joking around when the time was right, including countless parish and community events or personal cheer-up visits where he dressed as a clown.
“He would take Communion to the nursing homes and he had a very deep and strong ministry there, and he was very involved in the children’s liturgy and the children’s ministries here in the parish,” said Father Jeff Dauses, Immaculate Heart of Mary’s pastor.
Friends and family members recalled how he ran the parish’s senior citizens program, served as the chaplain of the parish’s Holy Name Society and was a member of the Knights of Columbus.
It’s doubtful that many knights would serve God through bringing joy in a clown outfit as Deacon Martin did with balloons in his pocket, ready to be blown up, or with a yo-yo that he could pull out at any time.
“He was in his 80s and he was still doing all these tricks with the yo-yo and going through the legs and into the pocket,” Jude shared about her dad’s skills with the old-school toy, just part of the arsenal within his subtle ministry of love.
“That brought him so much joy. He made everyone happy, and people really did love him.”
Deacon Martin asked that his body be donated to science, and a memorial Mass will be scheduled for a later date and time.
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