A photo of Jeff Monreal, owner and operator of Jeff Monreal Funeral Homes posing in a black suit with no background

Painesville Location

1000 Mentor Avenue Painesville, Ohio 44077

Willoughby Location

38001 Euclid Avenue Willoughby, Ohio 44094

Mentor Location

6330 Center Street Mentor, Ohio 44060

Brian “Spad” Martin

07/17/1961 - 07/10/2023

Brian “Spad” Martin, 61, passed away Monday, July 10, 2023 at home. He was born July 17, 1961 in Ravenna, Ohio, son of the late Horace and Eleanor Martin.

Brian is a graduate of Ravenna High School. He worked for Swagelok in Solon for 43 years. Brian held different roles during his tenure; however, he was most passionate about training and education. He had a natural ability to connect to people, especially when they were learning a new skill. Brian called Ohio home his entire life and loved watching Browns and Ohio State football. His dry sense of humor kept those around him from taking life or themselves too seriously. Brian’s unrivaled piano and percussion performances, once only given to small audiences in his car, are sure to sell out in Heaven.

He was proceeded in death by his wife Jennifer, son Matthew (Darlene) Martin, and sister, Linda Martin. Survivors include children Rachel “Toad” Martin of Rocky River, Stephanie Nanni of Massillon, Christina (Sally) Martin of Georgia, Joshua (Amanda) Martin of North Olmsted; brothers Michael (Allisa) Martin of South Carolina, and Carl (Jenny) Martin of Oregon; as well as his cats, Eclipse and Galaxy, whom he loved and spoiled as a proper cat Dad should.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 – 7:00 PM Friday, August 4th, 2023 at Jeff Monreal Funeral Home, 1000 Mentor Ave., Painesville. A memorial service will be held at 7:00 PM Friday at the funeral home. A private inurnment will be held at a later date at Chestnut Hill Memorial Park in Cuyahoga Falls. 

Donations can be made in Brian’s name to the Summit County Humane Society Humane Society of Summit County (summithumane.org)

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15 Replies to “Brian “Spad” Martin”

  1. To the family of Brian Martin,
    I want to send my deepest condolences. Brian will certainly be missed. He was a great friend and coworker.

    Reply

  2. I enjoyed working with Brian. He was clever and enjoyed solving problems. He could meet a deadline while still having fun.

    Reply

  3. I had the privilege of working alongside Brian for many years, and I can say that he was a remarkable loyal individual that so loved his family.

    Brian approached his role with unwavering passion and dedication. He truly cared about those he taught and mentored, and he embraced his responsibility as one of the first people to train new hires at Swagelok. In his eyes, it wasn’t just a job; it was a calling to nurture and empower others. Brian treated each new employee as if they were his own, and his commitment to their success was evident.

    The impact Brian had on the lives of those he trained is immeasurable. Countless individuals can attribute their successful career in machining at Swagelok to the solid foundation Brian provided as they began. He will forever be remembered as the person who kick-started their path to success at our company.

    We will greatly miss his presence, but his memory will live on in our hearts and in the countless lives he touched.

    I extend my deepest condolences to Brian’s family. I pray his family find peace and comfort as they navigate through their grief.

    With love and respect,
    Bill

    Reply

  4. Condolences to the Martin family

    Reply

  5. Brian, Kim and Holly July 13, 2023 at 1:18 am

    We are so sorry for your loss. He was always a joy to be around, even though he told us a few weeks back he was a little rowdy in his younger years. He also said he was much better looking and showed my husband and I a picture from when he was around 20. (What a character!) Please know that we are praying for God’s love and peace for each and everyone that is suffering with grief over the loss of this kind, hard working man. Remember that Love Never Ends!

    Reply

  6. Jeffery Johnson July 13, 2023 at 1:19 am

    I had the honor of sharing a large portion of my career at Swagelok with Brian. He was a great man with a passion for mentoring. To watch him teach, and mentor was a gift. We, were his students. I will miss him. Thank you Big guy. I am a better person today knowing you and learning from you.

    Reply

  7. Karen Freeman July 13, 2023 at 2:08 am

    I remember Brian well I worked with him for a short time very funny and sweet person to work with for the short time that I knew him my sincere condolences to the family he will be missed.

    Reply

  8. My deepest condolences. Brian was a outstanding instructor of the machining trades he will be greatly missed. 🙏🏻

    Reply

  9. Bridget getch July 13, 2023 at 1:06 pm

    I enjoyed getting to know Brian as he was the instructor of my orientation along with training classes ! He was always a great person to be around and will be missed by many !
    With love and respect
    Bridget

    Reply

  10. My most sincere condolences to the family for their loss. I was only 18 when I started at swagelok and met Brian. As everyone has mentioned he did have a heart of gold and a great sense of humor. And his laugh following his humor was just unforgettable. He will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

    Reply

  11. My sincere condolences to the family of Brian. I met Brian when I was 14. I met him Carl and Michael in Demolay So many good times. Some time in 1976 is when we met Brian was the Whittier of the group.Such a nice guy. I will miss him dearly. God bless Brian. May Brian be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows he’s dead. Old Irish saying And God bless his Family.

    Reply

    1. Michael Martin July 17, 2023 at 11:03 pm

      Brian was a natural leader and I followed him around like a true kid brother.

      Reply

  12. Brian was one of my favorite people that I have ever met. Something about spending time with him made worries go away. He took it upon himself to turn your bad day to a good day. I think it was his sense of humor and happiness made spending time with him addicting and fun. If he knew you were interested in something, he would make it a point to learn more about it to have more in common with you. He adopted a black cat because he knew they are more likely to be put down in a shelter. This is the person Brian was. Brian has been an idol to me for years. It was in Brian’s nature to put everyone else first. His sole goal in life was to make others happy, and that he did. He was such a blessing to everyone around him. I for one, know I wouldn’t be half the person I am today without him. He has touched my life everyday since I met him. He will never be forgotten.

    Reply

  13. Don and Barb Webbe July 21, 2023 at 3:25 pm

    MY HUSBAND A D I ARE SO SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT HIS LOSS, MY HUSBAND ENJOYED GOING TO BREAKFAST WITH HIM.HE WAS SUCH A NICE PERSON.SO SORRY TO THE FAMILY.

    Reply

  14. Ben, Emily, Eleanor August 2, 2023 at 2:32 am

    Our Deepest Condolences. We have only known Brian for a little bit of time. But was always pleasant to be around when we were around him. He was funny, kind, and such a caring person. We are sending lots of thoughts and prayers to his family during this hard time.

    Reply

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