John R. Martinson

Former Alaska resident John R. “Jack” Martinson, 62, died Nov. 3, 2010.

A service was held in Gabbs, Nev., on Nov. 5.

Jack was born March 30, 1948, in Ashland, Wisc., to John H. and Eleanor E. Martinson.

He married shortly after high school and had six children — David, Daniel, Collene, Samantha, John and Paul.

When he was 34, Jack met his wife, Paula “Jane” Toothman, through their parents. Six months later, they were on the road again on their way to Alaska, where they married and had two sons, Jedidiah and Jacob. His son John lived with them and was an important part of their family.

Jack, Jane and the boys traveled between Alaska and Arizona for many years. In Alaska, Jack loved to gather up a bunch of kids in dogsleds and ride snowmachines on the lakes. In Arizona, he would take his kids and their friends out camping in the desert and cook them breakfast over the campfire. He loved God.

Jack worked as a logger, miner and heavy equipment mechanic in Alaska, Arizona, Oregon and Nevada. He loved to travel and tell stories.

Jack learned he had lung cancer in October 2008. He fought hard and lived 13 months cancer-free.

He is survived by his wife, Jane; daughter-in-law Dee Martinson-Bush and her son of Arizona; son and daughter-in-law John and Jill Martinson and their children of Wasilla; son and daughter-in-law Jed and Mercedes Martinson and their children of Nevada; sons Jake of Texas, and Dan and Paul of Oregon; daughters Collene Martinson of New Mexico and Samantha Hatfield of Oregon; mother Eleanor; sisters Collene and Eleanor Kay; brothers Ken and Dan; brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, numerous other grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and other family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his son, David, and his father.