Bradley James Martin
Bradley James Martin, 63, of Marstons Mills, Mass., passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family and friends on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, after surviving ALS for 9 1/2 years.
Brad was born and raised in Southold, Long Island, and was the son of James A. Martin and Carolyn (Schutze) Wandryk. Brad was a 1976 graduate of Southold High School. It was in high school that he began his dream job on the school’s first radio station, WBLT. Ever since he was a kid, Brad loved music and sharing it with others.
After high school Brad was proud to have served six years with the United States Air Force. Brad was stationed in Incirlik, Turkey, and Omaha, Neb., from 1976 to 1982. He was an airborne radio operator on the National Emergency Airborne Command Post for President Reagan and his advisors. He was excited to have flown with President Reagan on Air Force One.
After the Air Force, Brad began his professional career in radio with stations on Long Island (WRCN), Hartford (WHCN), New Hampshire (WGIR), Springfield (Rock 102), Boston (WODS), Providence (B101), Plymouth (WPLM) and on Cape Cod for over 15 years as a radio announcer on Cool 102, and as production director for iHeart Media Cape Cod. Brad had said, “ALS may have taken my voice but not my passion for radio or passion for life.”
Passion is the one word to describe Brad and he was coined Mr. Happy by many. He loved his family above all and celebrated them every day, whether he wrote notes for his daughters and put them in their lunchboxes for each day of their school lives or was just as excited (if not more) to go see Barney, Warped Tours or Miley Cyrus with them. He had a love for sailing and taught his daughters how to sail … unfortunately this enthusiasm did not rub off on them. They preferred “to be sailed” versus sail themselves! And if there was a birthday, they would wake up to a house filled with balloons, banners, streamers and music. Brad has left big shoes to fill. He always had a smile and twinkle in his eye.
Brad loved his friends and entertaining at home or on Mayflower beach. When friends arrived at home, they’d be greeted with the grill going and a new playlist put together especially for them. Whatever their style of music — Italian, Irish, standards, blues, rock, pop — the music would be playing upon arrival. Brad loved life, loved his family and his friends.
At 54 years of age, ALS hit, and life had a new normal. Brad would wake each day with a determination and strength that can mirror that of Superman. He wanted to live and squeeze every ounce of happiness that was available to him. His family and friends made sure he always had something new to look forward to, whether it was a movie coming on, a show to go to or to hear a new story about their day. He was blessed to have been able to make new memories every day and witness his daughters’ high school graduations and college years. He has seen them embark on their new careers in health care and education and was so very proud.
Brad met his wife, Marianne, in 1988, when he started his new position as operations manager at Pixy radio. They married two years later and enjoyed years of traveling, skiing and rock concerts until their daughters were born, seven and nine years later. This is when a whole new and wonderful adventure began and continues. Brad and Marianne were more than husband and wife, they were best friends and work partners in broadcast, too. This was a special love and bond that lasted close to 34 years. It was one of a kind and will live on forever.
Brad Martin is survived by his wife, Marianne; two daughters, Mariella Martin of Brighton, Mass., and Alyssa Martin of Marstons Mills, Mass. He is also survived by his two brothers, Doug Martin and wife Kimberly, nephews Christopher, JD and Shawn Frame and great-nephew Colton Frame of Florida; and Craig Martin and wife Laurie and nephew CJ of New York. Brother-in-law and best friend Bill Campbell and his wife, Amy, godson and nephew Derek and fiancé Erica Petralia, and niece Colleen Ervin and her husband, Jordan, also survive.
Many special angels came into Brad’s life to care for him with unending compassion, love and strength. His nurse, Barbara Stack, and caregivers Lucas Amorim and Victoria Albuquerque were three of these devoted angels and were all with him during his final days.
Brad was a longtime communicant of the Roman Catholic Church. Funeral services will be held at Our Lady of Victory in Centerville, Mass., at 11 a.m. Friday, May 6, with burial immediately following. Viewing hours will take place Thursday, May 5, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Chapman Funerals & Cremations, 3778 Falmouth Road, Marstons Mills (chapmanfuneral.com).
As an expression of sympathy, memorial donations may be made to Compassionate Care ALS (CCALS), P.O. Box 1052, West Falmouth, MA 02574 and the ALS Family Charitable Foundation, 1 Trowbridge Road #322, Bourne, MA 02532.
Brad requested clothes of color versus black to celebrate his life.
“And in the end … the love you take is equal to the love you make.” — The Beatles
This is a paid notice.
