Review-Journal Washington reporter Gary Martin dies

Gary Martin, the friendly and tenacious Washington bureau chief who covered Congress for the Review-Journal, died Thursday in Las Vegas. He was 64.

Martin, whose journalism career took him from Nogales to Miami and San Antonio to the White House, was in Southern Nevada to cover this week’s elections. His body was found inside his hotel room at Circa in downtown Las Vegas around 3:30 p.m. Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Justin Byers said his death appeared to be from natural causes.

His passing comes two months after the slaying of Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German and two weeks after the death of retired military reporter Keith Rogers.

“Gary was beloved and admired by everyone at the Review-Journal for his work ethic, professionalism, contagious smile and relentless cheerleading for his colleagues,” Executive Editor Glenn Cook said. “His sudden passing is another devastating loss for our news organization.”

Martin’s last day was spent doing what he loved: covering a close election with national implications, then celebrating with several co-workers and eating what he said was one of the best steaks he had ever had.

Dogged Texas reporter

Before joining the Review-Journal in 2016, Martin had a decadeslong career covering politics and working as a Washington correspondent, 27 of those years for the San Antonio Express-News.

Executive Editor Nora Lopez remembered when she started at the newspaper in the 1980s, working as Martin’s teammate on the state desk covering Texas politics. He chewed tobacco, and although she thought the habit was disgusting, she bought him a spittoon for the waste. He carried it with him to each new place he moved.

“To say that he was somebody that I looked up to and whom I learned from is an understatement,” Lopez said Thursday night.

Lopez left the state desk and returned to the newspaper in 2000 as Martin’s editor. She remembered his gravely voice over phone calls from Washington.

“Gary was just a great reporter, and dogged,” she said. “He really believed in the value of journalism.”

While in San Antonio, Martin won a Sigma Delta Chi award, one of journalism’s highest honors, for leading the team of journalists at the Express-News who broke the story about the February 2016 death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in Texas.

Among those journalists was Tyler White, who spent three years at the Express-News and now works for the University of North Florida as a writer. Martin served as a reference when White applied to his current job.

“He was a joy to work with, an incredibly kind and energetic person in the newsroom,” White said.

A Nevada newsman

After joining the RJ, Martin covered every big story in Washington, from attempts to open Yucca Mountain as a nuclear waste repository to battles over national monuments.

“Gary was one of the first people I hired at the Review-Journal, and one of the best,” Deputy Managing Editor Peter Johnson said. “In his six years at the RJ he covered many of the biggest stories of the day, including two impeachments and multiple Supreme Court nominations. Aside from being a great reporter, he was a great guy and a good friend. I will miss him.”

Martin also was dispatched to cover national stories outside Washington, including mass shootings in Texas and Pittsburgh.

“Gary was the consummate ‘veteran reporter.’ He knew everyone and had sources everywhere,” former Review-Journal White House correspondent and columnist Debra Saunders said. “When something terrible happened anywhere, he was the guy who could hightail his way to the epicenter and get the story, thanks to the contacts he always found. He was an amazing colleague to whom many toasts will be made.”

In a statement to the White House Correspondents’ Association, Saunders added: “When I came to Washington to cover the White House for the RJ, Gary graciously and patiently fielded my questions about opening doors that seemed stuck. Did I mention he knew everyone and everyone knew him? I owe him so much.”

The Commerce City, Colorado, native and Grateful Dead fan often told reporters how much he enjoyed working in the White House. Politics reporters recalled his smile, even in virtual meetings. He was remembered Thursday night by co-workers as a helpful, kind mentor who encouraged everyone around him.

“Journalism has lost one of its most valuable assets, and I have lost one of my oldest friends,” White House columnist Brian Karem said. “Gary and his wife, Linda, were one of the nicest, dearest friends you’ll ever meet”

Martin started at the Review-Journal around the same time as former politics reporter Blake Apgar. Apgar said that even after he took a job at the Salt Lake Tribune, he and Martin spent hours on the phone each week.

“He spent decades in Washington,” Apgar said. “He’s covered multiple presidents. He’s seen some of the biggest stories in the world happen firsthand. He broke one of the biggest stories with the Antonin Scalia story. Gary and I bonded over love for the work and our love for the Grateful Dead.”

Apgar stayed at Martin’s Maryland home in July after Martin bought them tickets for a Dead & Company concert, and three weeks ago, Martin flew to Salt Lake to attend Apgar’s wedding.

“It means a lot when you’re a young reporter and someone is willing to take that time and just talk to you and be interested in talking to you,” Apgar said.

A bandmate

Martin is survived by his wife of nearly 40 years, Linda Martin, of Silver Spring, Maryland, his younger brother, Mark Martin, sister-in-law Debbie Martin, younger sister Laura Geppinger and her husband, Richard Geppinger, all of whom live in Colorado. He is also survived by his nieces and nephews Erin and Ryan van deBoogaard, Kellie and Nathan Deines and Sarah and Erik Senescu, and five great nieces: Chase, Brooke and Jordan van deBoogaard and Cale and Samantha Deines.

Linda Martin said her husband had the gift of making people around him feel comfortable.

“That’s what made him a great journalist,” she said. “He loved being a journalist, always looking around at what was happening around him. He loved animals, his family and friends. He was my best friend and I will miss him.”

Mark Martin said his older brother always enjoyed playing musical instruments. Outside of playing trumpet for the junior high and high school marching bands, Martin tried to start his own band several times after he learned to play guitar.

Martin’s parents used to pack the kids into a camper and explore the West Coast, camping in all of the Western states. Their favorite spot was Brush Creek, near Eagle, Colorado, Mark Martin said.

The family moved from Commerce City, outside Denver, to Boulder when Gary Martin was 14. He attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins and received a degree in journalism before moving to small towns in Arizona and Wyoming as a reporter.

Laura Geppinger remembered her brother, who was five years older, as the outgoing reporter who would fly around with presidents and make conversation with everyone.

“It’s funny because we’re just very different,” she said. “He’s very outgoing and witty and just larger than life, and I’m kind of quiet and shy. We were always very different, but in spite of that we got along.”

She said her brother liked watching sports and cheering on the Denver Broncos, Colorado Rockies and the Washington Nationals. He and his wife, Linda, enjoyed going to the coast to relax, fish and eat crab, according to Laura Geppinger.

She still lives in Colorado and said her brother would go on hikes and ski when he came back to visit.

Services are pending.

Mentor in Washington

Online, reporters in Washington for Bloomberg, Reuters, Axios and several other outlets shared their memories of Martin’s time in Washington, as did politicians he covered.

Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., said Martin was instrumental in keeping Nevadans informed.

“I always loved seeing him & talking to him about the issues in the Capitol,” she wrote Friday morning.

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak said he was mourning Martin’s death.

“Gary was a hardworking and fair reporter, and clearly a beloved co-worker,” Sisolak wrote.

Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., called Martin a thoughtful journalist.

“Nevada will miss the professionalism he brought to covering politics in our state,” he wrote. “Rest In Peace Gary.”

Martin’s last story for the Review-Journal, published Wednesday, covered Amodei’s re-election to Congress.

“I am thankful that I got to see him recently at The Sphere and will treasure my countless memories with him,” Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., wrote on Twitter.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., said she was devastated to learn of his passing and shared condolences with his wife.

“He was a talented and dedicated journalist with a personality that could light up a room,” she wrote.

And Rep. Steven Horsford said Martin always remembered his audience.

“I could always count on Gary to ask the question ‘what does this mean for Nevadans,’” Horsford said in a statement. “He was a true professional and was easily able to explain to RJ readers how the work we were getting done in the Capitol would affect them. My condolences to his friends, family and loved ones, and to the Review-Journal for this loss and the other recent losses.”

Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev., said she will miss seeing Martin in the Capitol.

“Gary Martin was a true public servant for Nevada, always keeping a close watch on Washington,” she wrote in a statement. “Gary always asked the tough questions, but always with a smile on his face.”

Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-TX, said he was saddened to hear about Martin’s death.

“He was a kind soul who was always generous with his time and unshakeable in his reporting,” Castro wrote on Twitter. “He will be terribly missed.”

Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter. Review-Journal staff reporter David Wilson contributed to this report.