Martin Edward Tress Jr.'s Obituary
Martin was gently ushered into the kingdom of heaven on June 21, 2026, at 12:17 AM. He departed this earth on Father’s Day, held closely by his daughter, Rachel, who faithfully served the Lord as his legal guardian, fierce protector, and forever advocate.
The souls of Martin and his daughter were deeply and miraculously tied together by a profound synchronicity. In what was to be his very first season as a dad, Martin survived a horrific motorcycle accident, fighting through death eight times before slipping into a deep coma.
Following this accident, his daughter, Rachel was born into the world with her own complications. A newborn Rachel was brought by his wife to his bedside, and her tiny frame was laid directly against her father's chest. In that sacred moment, Martin opened his bright blue eyes, awakened from his deep sleep by the heartbeat of his child, and stared at his daughter.
Though that fateful day began a 43-year battle with a traumatic brain injury and eventual dementia, it also forged an unbreakable bond. In a breathtaking completion of the circle of life, their journey ended exactly where it began: right next to each other in a hospital bed. Rachel arrived at his bedside on Thursday, sleeping in bed with him every single night to keep watch. In the quiet minutes just past midnight on Father’s Day, she was lying right there in bed with him as he took his final breath. Safe, warm, entirely unafraid, and out of sheer exhaustion, lack of sleep, and still carrying that deep urge to protect him, Rachel stayed in bed next to her father until 4:30 AM when the funeral home arrived.
The advocate sent from the Lord completed her mission for Martin, cradling her beloved father out of his pain and into eternity.
In addition to the extraordinary connection shared with his daughter, Martin was a man of immense talent and grit—a true jack-of-all-trades. He was a gifted artist, a skilled carpenter, an expert mechanic, a roofer, and a handyman who could build, fix, or restore anything he put his hands on. He found great joy in working on cars, tinkering with bikes, and spending quiet days fishing.
Martin’s life was undeniably complicated, marked by heavy earthly battles with addiction, anger, and the severe, lifelong consequences of his traumatic brain injury. He was not a perfect man, and his struggles often brought strife to those around him. Yet, beneath the pain of a broken body and mind, Martin possessed a heart of gold. He was a fiercely protective man who loved his family deeply and would defend his children at any cost. Those who truly understood him knew that his anger was a symptom of his sickness, but his protectiveness was the true core of his spirit. Upon his passing, those earthly burdens, sins, and pains were entirely washed away, leaving only the pure, redeemed soul that the Lord welcomed home.
Martin is preceded in death by his parents, Norma and Martin Tress, Sr.; his brother, David Tress; and his grandparents, Ida and Lester Fury.
Martin is survived by his children: Rachel Tress-Cruz of Lorain, Nicolas Tress of Indian Hills, Colorado, and Timothy Tress of Lorain. He also leaves behind his four beautiful grandchildren, who brought immense light to his world: Christopher, Miles, Romeo, and Judah.
His daughter will host a private memorial service in his honor, to be announced at a later date.
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