The clogging world lost a great friend Saturday afternoon, March 8th, when Mike Martin died suddenly during a clogging exhibition at Traders Village in Grand Prairie, Texas. Mike was dancing a favorite routine he had brought to Texas from Canada, where he and wife Patti learned to clog years ago. He had taught 'Vogue' to his Texas friends and always loved to perform it with them.

Married 45+ years, Mike and Patti moved to the U.S. in the mid 1990's, first clogging with The Hills of Kentucky before moving to Texas and settling in Corinth, just north of Lewisville. There they visited and joined the North Star Cloggers and soon became pillars of the club, serving as President and Secretary and inspiring club spirit and growth. They later also joined the Dixie Style Cloggers exhibition team, where Mike became known as their 'Showman'. At the TCC Rally, just one week to the day before his untimely death, Mike played the salesman in Dixie Style's "A Coach is Coming In", from "Paint Your Wagon". He danced at several Cloggers' Showcases on the Riverwalk, once or twice as the fiddler in Dixie Style's routine to a medley of Charlie Daniels' songs, ending with "The Devil Went Down to Georgia". Mike was a Showman. Early on he won at least two solo competitions to the delight and cheers of the crowd .

A faithful husband, devoted father and friend to all who ever met him, Mike was a steadfast member of the Episcopalian Church, in Denton, and an outstanding example of a real man. Mike knew how to enjoy every moment of life to the fullest and never failed to uplift and inspire everyone around him. Mike was beloved by all who knew him. He absolutely loved to perform and speak in public, where he always excelled. He was such a big presence among us that it just doesn't seem possible that he is now gone from our midst.

Mike Martin will be sorely missed by so many. He left us while clogging on the stage, something he dearly loved to do. The medics said he may not have ever realized anything had happened, it was so sudden. Observers said it looked like he may have just missed a step. And then he took his next one in heaven.

May God bless your soul, Mike Martin. Your many friends will miss you terribly. And we are each a better person because we knew you.

Service Information:

Patti has requested donations rather than flowers to:
The Kidney Texas Incorporated
The American Diabetes Foundation

You may also make a donation to Camp Esperanza in Mike's name.