DONALD ALLEN (CAT) MARTENS (DON)

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DONALD ALLEN (CAT) MARTENS
August 30, 1958 – November 21, 2021

Peacefully, at the young age of 63, Don passed away on November 21, 2021, at Riverview Health Centre.
Don leaves to mourn his son Korey, daughter Breanne, their mother Bonnie, brother Les (Kelly), sisters, Bev (Dan) and Karen (Joe), nephew Aric (Alison), great-nieces, Ariana and Aimee, and beloved dog Frankie. Don was predeceased and has left to join his mother Betty, and his best friend/dog Jack.
Born Donald Allen Martens in Winnipeg, MB but better known by all as "Cat", his CB radio handle acquired in his early career while operating heavy duty Caterpillar Equipment. Cat spent his childhood years helping his mother raise the family and it was during this time he developed the strong dedication and caring nature of raising and providing for all who needed it including family, friends, and the sports teams he loved so dearly, the Transcona Nationals and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Family meant everything to him. He spent years as the family contact for holiday reunions with cousins from near and far and always kept in touch through the family chats. Most of all, his children were everything to him and his bonds with both run deep. He spent many years with them living right alongside and just hanging out watching movies and sports. "Kor-man" was his buddy and "Breezy" was his baby girl. Two of the recent "best days of his life" was when Breanne moved back to Winnipeg and when both were finally able to visit him at the hospital.
Cat loved hunting, fishing, trucks (of all sizes), football, and the dog park. He spent years with his brother and friends hunting, his lifetime fishing with anyone who would go and in the latter years with his brother Les, on Lee River, where he kept his boat. Cat's love of all machines, big as they can be, took him into a lifetime of driving the "big rigs" and ultimately becoming dispatch for Sobeys where he was set to retire at age 65. The love of his personal trucks could be witnessed with any single truck he owned as he put extensive detail and love into every one of them. His passion for football was infectious and his knowledge of the Winnipeg Blue Bomber history was remarkable. Kilcona Off-leash Dog Park was his second home and the members there were his second family.
The endless conversation/expertise talked about any of these passions will forever be cherished by those lucky to listen.
A Celebration of Life will be held in spring of 2022, followed by a private interment.

"You can shed tears that he is gone,
or you can smile because he lived.
You can close your eyes and pray
he will come back,
or you can open your eyes and
see all that he has left"

- "Remember Me" by David Harkins -

Friends may visit www.braendlebrucefs.ca to leave a message of condolence for the family.

Braendle-Bruce Funeral Service, Russell, Manitoba were in care of arrangements
(204) 773-2747.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 04, 2021