Martin (Marty) Fagan

To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.

Obituary

Martin (Marty) Dean Fagan, an inspiration to many, died peacefully on November 1, 2025 surrounded by family at his home in North Bend, Washington. He was 62 years old. He had endured and persevered with stage IV cancer for 10 years.



Marty spent his childhood in Bucyrus, Ohio. As a young boy, he fondly remembered exploring the forest next to his house wearing his coon-skin hat, fancying himself a frontiersman like Davy Crockett.



Right out of high school, he joined the Navy and became an Operations Specialist on a guided missile cruiser. Those four years taught him about honor, duty and discipline. He was driven to protect and serve. He then became a police officer with the Honolulu Police Department for 11 years, where he made over 3000 arrests. Marty earned his bachelor’s degree attending night school while working full-time as a police officer. He also completed two years of law school.



Outside of work, Marty was drawn to the mountains. He summited three of the “Seven Summits” -- Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, and Denali. On Denali, he met his future wife, Chris, who was on a separate self-guided team. Three months after meeting Chris, Marty left the police force and moved to Seattle to be with the love of his life. Marty and Chris married in 1999. They promised to share a life of adventure together.



In need of a job, Marty landed at the startup tech company, F5 Networks, and over a 15-year career, advanced to the Director of Global Facilities and Real Estate. He spent the last seven years of his tech career in a similar position at Qumulo.



Marty and Chris shared their love of adventure with their son, Keenan. Trips in the wild built a strong family bond. They enjoyed kayaking in the Broken Group Islands in Canada, yearly cabin weekends on the Teanaway River with close friends, and hiking in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Marty’s passport was well-worn. The family loved to travel and explore on trips to Tanzania, France, Switzerland, Japan, Nepal, and Germany. Immersing Keenan in unique cultures and activities built unforgettable memories. Family was most important to Marty. Near the end of his life, he said, “I’m just so proud of the kind and loving man that Keenan has become.”



Marty dreamed big. While raising Keenan, Marty and Chris made time to pursue challenging physical goals as a couple. They logged thousands of miles together running through lush forests, and completed numerous 100-mile trail races. Marty took first place at the Boulder 100 Mile race. The Cascade Mountains, Wonderland Trail, Mount Saint Helens, Mount Hood and Pacific Crest Trail were some of their favorite playgrounds.



In January 2014, Marty and Chris became the first American married couple to ski unsupported and unguided to the South Pole. Over 48 days, they skied 570 miles across the barren, windswept landscape, while pulling 220-pound sleds. This feat landed them in the Guinness World Records.



Throughout his life, Marty inspired numerous people to believe that they could do more than they thought possible. He coached family and friends who could barely run a mile to complete 100-mile races. Marty motivated others to get healthy. He became a pickleball coach, along with his wife, to bring the joy of the game to many in the Snoqualmie Valley. And if someone was ever in need, Marty was quick to lend a helping hand.



In his quiet time, you could find Marty reading historical non-fiction books, or listening to favorite Hans Zimmer movie soundtracks.



Marty gave life his all until the end. What a life well lived.



Marty is survived by his wife Chris Fagan, son Keenan Fagan, daughter Amanda Sasaki and granddaughter Kalia Elliott. He is further survived by his father Dean Fagan, his mother Victoria Sheskey, and his brother Mike Fagan; his sister-in-law Jean McGuire (David), his sister-in-law Suzanne Mocker (Frank) and his brother-in-law Patrick Keenan (Stefanie). He has 10 nieces and 11 nephews, and 24 great nieces/nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother Matt Fagan, step-father Tom Sheskey, step-mother Ann Chandler, father-in-law James C Keenan, mother-in-law Helen Keenan, brother-in-law James T Keenan, and sister-in-law Melodie Fagan.



Donations may be made in Marty’s honor to The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center at this link.



A Celebration of Life for Marty will be held in the Snoqualmie Valley area. The specific date and time will be posted here when they are available.

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