1945-2025
Kenneth Franklyn Martin was born on November 16, 1945 at his grandmother’s hospital, Burkett Home Hospital, in Whittier, California to Bruce and Sara Lanore Martin. Ken passed away on May 11, 2025 after a long and hard-fought battle with Parkinson’s disease at the age of 79. In his final days, he was surrounded by his loving family and close friends.
Ken spent most of his youth in Fort Jones, nestled in the beautiful Scott Valley in Siskiyou County, California. Growing up on a dairy farm, Ken fondly remembered his childhood with his three siblings. He spent many happy days swimming, fishing, and working on “the Ranch.” After attending a one-room schoolhouse in grade school, Ken graduated from Etna High School in 1963. He then attended Chico State University, where he earned a degree in Agricultural Business in 1967.
At Chico, Ken met his beloved wife, Valarye. They married in 1967 and spent their first two years of marriage in Missouri, where Ken earned a master’s degree in Ag. Economics from the University of Missouri. In 1969, they moved to Auburn, California, and made it their permanent home. Ken took a teaching job at Placer High School. For thirty-four years, he taught classes in the agricultural sciences and was the Future Farmers of America (FFA) advisor. Under Ken’s direction, the FFA program thrived. During his tenure, Ken mentored countless students, helped run a 35-acre school farm, sponsored a week-long Aggie Days every spring, and supported FFA students with their projects at the County Fair.
Ken cultivated a lifelong passion for antiquing, collecting hundreds of radios and clocks. Few things made him happier than spending his free time restoring an antique radio or clock. He also loved to garden and enjoyed sitting on the back deck in summer with a cold iced tea admiring his garden labors. Often described as a “man of few words,” he was also known for his humor and funny pranks.
Ken found great joy in his family. Married for 57 years, Ken and Valarye went on many adventures together, sharing a love for travel and annual family trips to the California coast. Nothing made Ken prouder than their five children. He imparted to them his fondness for animals and gardening, as well as his hard work ethic. His daughters remember him as “the best dad ever.” He spent his final decades as a loving grandfather and devoted caretaker to his wife Valarye, retiring early from teaching to care for her after she suffered a stroke.
Ken is survived by his wife, Valarye, and five children, Kristen (Michael Jos) Martin, Amy (Kevin) Looney, Melissa (Alan Van de Water) Martin, Nicole (Jorge Albor) Martin, and Rachel Martin; his eight grandchildren, Tyler, Zackary, Farrah, and Marina Looney, Silas and Eli Van de Water, and Atzi and Xoco Almar; his older brother, Tom (Marsha) Martin, younger sister, Sally Martin, and younger brother, Charlie (Marlene) Martin; and many beloved nieces and nephews. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends.
There will be a service on June 14, 2025, at 1 pm at Fort Jones Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and Future Farmers of America.
