John D. DeMartini
October 11, 1933 – March 6, 2026

John was the first son born to John A. DeMartini and Violet (Coughlin) DeMartini on October 11, 1933, in San Francisco.

The family moved to Sonoma when his father purchased a dairy. John graduated from Sonoma Valley High School in 1951. After graduation, he moved to Humboldt County to attend Humboldt State College (CalPoly Humboldt). He graduated in 1955 with a degree in Life Science and General Science. Upon graduating, he taught high school for a couple years before returning to Humboldt State College to complete his master’s degree. He went on to earn his PhD from Oregon State University.

He returned to Humboldt State College and was a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences from 1963 to 1999. During his tenure, he was awarded Outstanding Professor in 1972.

Some summers, John worked through the National Science Foundation and led classes to help elementary and high school teachers develop curriculum.

From 1979 to 1984 he was director of the Telonicher Marine Lab in Trinidad.

During his career he also worked with California Fish and Game documenting the life cycle of the red abalone and led a kelp survey of Trinidad bay.

John was a natural born educator. He was more than a teacher to some of his students. He became their friend and some became family friends. It was not unusual to have an extra person at the DeMartini dinner table to enjoy a home cooked meal.

After retirement he founded the Redwood Science Project with Dr. Casey Lu and Jeffery White. John would travel to Hoopa and Covelo to give presentations and lead field trips for elementary school students.

In retirement John took an interest in California gall wasps. He and Julia would go out looking for galls on Native Oak and Chinquapin Oak. Professor Graham Stone and Dr. James Nicholls of Edinburgh, Scotland travelled to McKinleyville to collaborate and exchange information with John regarding gall wasps. In 2018 a specific species of gall wasp, Dryocosmus demartinii, was named in John’s honor to recognize his contribution to the study of gall wasps.

During John’s Cal Poly days, he could regularly be seen walking from the university to Don’s Donut Bar in Arcata in his “professor uniform” of a sports coat, white button-down shirt and tie, to enjoy a cup of coffee and a donut while visiting with the locals and Don’s mother, Bea.

John was a storyteller and if you were at the dinner table with him you would get at least a couple of his favorites. He liked to reminisce about his younger days in San Francisco riding the bus across town and sometimes going to the movies with his mother. He would recount his days on the dairy milking cows before and after school and exploring creeks in Sonoma any time he could get free time. John would smile, sharing memories of meeting and dating his wife, Julia, and marveling at the many years spent together. He had his favorite stories (his, not ours) about each of his children and many of his grandchildren.

While at college, John met Bill (Buddy) Papke. Bill took John home to introduce him to Bill’s younger sister, Norma. It was Bill’s older sister, Julia, who won John’s heart.

John and Julia were married August 28, 1955. The following June their first daughter, Michele, was born, followed by their first son, Paul, three days short of a year later. A second daughter, Jean, was born in Sonoma during the time John was teaching high school. After moving back to Eureka, their third daughter Angela was born, followed by their second son, Jack. Daughter number four, Catherine, was born in Corvallis, OR, while completing his PhD. On their ninth wedding anniversary they welcomed their third son and last child, Eric.

The family moved to McKinleyville in 1966. John was a charter member of Christ the King Catholic Church.

John is survived by his wife of seventy years, Julia.

His children, Michele DeMartini, Paul (Ann) DeMartini, Jean (Gary) McIntire, Angela DeMartini (Al Steer), Jack (Lisa) DeMartini, Catherine (Mike) Galloway, and Eric DeMartini.

Grandchildren: Danielle DeMartini (Nathan Wells), Erika (Brett) DeCarlo, Matthew DeMartini, Alfonso Arechiga, Shane McIntire, Lindsey (Nate) Robertson, Kenny (Ria) Winkler, Brendan (Samantha Sachs) Grace, Brittan (Megan) Grace, John (Melissa) Rose-DeMartini, Brian DeMartini, Amanda (Dean) Wilson, and Jesse (Janine) Galloway.

Seventeen great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

His brother Charles DeMartini, sister Violet Wheeler, sisters-in-law Bev DeMartini, Linda DeMartini, and Norma (Papke) Dye.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John A. and Violet DeMartini, brother David DeMartini, niece Julie DeMartini, father and mother-in-law Erwin and Anna Papke, sister-in-law Barbara (Papke) Spellenberg, brothers-in-law Bill “Buddy” Papke, Gerald “Jerry” Spellenberg, Dale Wheeler, and Bill Dye.

Thank you to Frye’s Care Home for their loving care of John during his last four months of life.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of John DeMartini’s family. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.