In Loving Memory of Martin Lee Jacobson
June 3, 1963 – August 3, 2026

It is with great sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of Martin Lee Jacobson, who passed away on August 3, 2026, at the age of 63.

Martin was born on June 3, 1963, at Trinity Hospital in Arcata to Fred and Sylvia Jacobson. He grew up in Blue Lake alongside his brothers, Fred Jr. and Darrell. From an early age, Martin showed the personality that those who knew him would come to love — bright, fiercely independent, hardworking, and always ready with a joke.

As a boy, Martin enjoyed entertaining his friends with daring bicycle stunts, including his best Evel Knievel impressions on his Sting-Ray bike. He attended Blue Lake Elementary School, where he graduated with honors, and Arcata High School, graduating with the Class of 1981. He was active in FFA, raising a pig that earned Grand Champion honors at the Redwood Acres Fair. His second project, a Holstein heifer, earned a blue ribbon at the Humboldt County Fair.

Martin learned the value of hard work early. During high school, he worked on local dairy farms after school and during summer breaks, saving enough money to purchase his first car. After high school, he attended College of the Redwoods, studying computers and receiving training in auto mechanics.

Martin was exceptionally intelligent and possessed a practical ingenuity that allowed him to understand how things worked and, more importantly, how to fix them. Whether it was a car, a piece of heavy equipment, a home in need of repair, or simply a problem that needed solving, Martin had a remarkable ability to figure things out. He was truly a jack-of-all-trades and could fix, build, repair, or master just about anything he set his mind to.

His intelligence was matched by a quick and memorable wit. Martin loved making people laugh, and his sense of humor stayed with him throughout his life. Whether telling stories, sharing a joke, solving a difficult problem, or simply enjoying time with family and friends, Martin had a rare gift for making people smile and feel at ease.

Martin’s working life reflected his versatility, independence, and willingness to take on just about any challenge. Over the years, he worked as an auto mechanic and smog technician, operated his own auto repair business, bought and renovated homes, drove logging, dump, and flatbed trucks and operated heavy equiptment. He worked for companies including Mulkey & Kovacovich, Mickey’s Quality Cars, Redwood Coast Trucking, Kernen Construction, and Green Diamond Resource Company.

Even after leaving the auto mechanic industry, Martin remained the “go-to mechanic” for his friends and family. He could often diagnose a vehicle simply by listening to the sound of its motor. If something was broken, chances were Martin could figure out what was wrong and find a way to fix it.

While working with the Green Diamond Road crew, Martin learned to operate many different types of heavy equipment. Martin was deeply respected for his work ethic. He also became known for keeping the crew laughing, earning the nickname “The Summertime Santa” because of his infectious deep belly laughs and cheerful spirit. It was a fitting tribute to a man whose humor could make even a long workday a little lighter.

Martin often said that working for the Green Diamond Road crew had been one of the most enjoyable and fulfilling jobs he had ever held. There is no doubt he considered many of his co-workers to be close friends. His boss recalled that Martin would arrive early for his shift with a smile on his face, greeting his co-workers and telling them to “Make it a great day!” You always knew when Martin had arrived because his laugh would echo across the shop, soon followed by the laughter of those around him.

Outside of work, Martin enjoyed cooking, gardening, watching football, and spending time working with his hands. But above all, Martin was proud of his family.

Martin was a devoted father to his three daughters, Kerry Jacobson, Sarah Hiller, and Chevelle Castillo. He embraced fatherhood and made an effort to be present for the important moments in their lives, including school functions, sporting events, graduations, birthdays, and other milestones. Their accomplishments mattered deeply to him, and he was always proud to share their successes with others.

That devotion became even more evident when Martin became a grandfather. He loved his grandchildren tremendously and was immensely proud of each and every one of them. He took a genuine interest in their lives and made every effort to be there for school programs, plays, sporting events, graduations, celebrations, and countless birthday parties. Watching them grow and seeing their accomplishments brought him tremendous joy.

Martin was also known to playfully tease his co-workers about how his grandson’s school basketball team was better than all the rest — a perfect example of the good-natured humor that made him so memorable.

His grandchildren knew they had a grandfather who loved them, believed in them, and delighted in watching them grow. Of all the things Martin accomplished during his life, his family — and particularly his children and grandchildren — were among his greatest sources of pride.

Martin is survived by his father, Fred Jacobson; his brothers, Fred Jr. (Susan) and Darrell (Debbie) Jacobson; his daughters, Kerry Jacobson, Sarah Hiller, and Chevelle Castillo; his daughter Sarah’s spouse, Jerome Christopher Hiller; his daughter Chevelle’s spouse, Jese Castillo; and his beloved grandchildren, Jaxon Jacobson, Julianna Hiller, Jerome Curtis Hiller, Maelynn Hiller, Amaya Castillo, Natalie Castillo, and Olivia Castillo. He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews, extended family, longtime friend and companion Ellen Webb-Buzzard, friends, former co-workers, and many others whose lives were touched by his humor, intelligence, generosity, and unmistakable personality.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Sylvia Jacobson, and his stepmother, Joyce Bennett Jacobson.

Martin’s life cannot be measured simply by the jobs he held, the things he repaired, the equipment he operated, or the homes he rebuilt. His legacy lives on in the people who loved him, in the stories that will continue to be told, in the laughter that will follow when someone remembers one of his jokes, and most of all, in his children and grandchildren.

Martin was a man who knew how to work hard, solve problems, and make people laugh. He was intelligent without needing to prove it, witty without trying too hard, and capable of turning his hand to almost anything. Beneath that independent and hardworking exterior was a man who loved his family deeply.

His intelligence, humor, dedication, and joyful presence will be deeply missed, but the light he brought to this world will never be forgotten. He was deeply loved, and he will be deeply missed.

Celebration of Life

A celebration of Martin’s life and the memories he shared with family, friends, and co-workers will be held at Camp Bauer on Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 12–4 p.m.

All friends, co-workers, loved ones, and those whose lives were touched by Martin are welcome to attend.

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