Obituaries

Martin Horseman

Martin Horseman was born on December 30, 1932, in Carlisle, England, and passed away peacefully on the evening of July 25, 2026. The family would like to express thanks to the staff of HSC Emergency and H4 for the care, respect, and support they showed Martin and the family during an incredibly difficult time.

He was the second youngest of six children born to Herbert Sylvester Horseman and Sarah Mary Sirey Horseman. Martin grew up during the Great Depression and later the Second World War in Carlisle, England. Even though there were few luxuries, he enjoyed his childhood and had many fond memories of the people he grew up with. When Martin was 11, he was chosen to attend Carlisle Grammar School, which gave him greater educational and work opportunities. After graduating from school, he worked at different jobs before being accepted into a drafting program. While apprenticing, he earned a certificate in Mechanical Engineering and worked as a draftsman for a coal cleaning equipment company.

At that time, all able-bodied men were expected to complete two years of compulsory military service. Martin chose the Royal Air Force and trained as an Aircraft Instrument Technician. He worked with several fighter squadrons in Great Britain before being deployed to Cyprus during the Suez Canal crisis. After his deployment, he returned to his old job as a draftsman for a short while before joining the Royal Canadian Air Force and moving to Canada in 1959.

He was posted to Centralia, Ontario, where he met Rose Marie Johnson. After a short time in Trenton, Ontario, he was sent to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where Rose Marie had been transferred. They reconnected and married in Saskatoon December 12, 1959. During his military career, Martin worked on many interesting construction projects in different places across Canada. He especially enjoyed working on radar stations in the north. Many of his projects were unique and are still in use today. After retiring from the military, Martin joined the Civil Service and worked for the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration in Saskatchewan and then for Transport Canada in Manitoba. He fully retired from service in 1996 and remained in Winnipeg until his passing.

Martin and Rose Marie had three daughters (Heather, Sally, and Nina) and a son Peter. He was predeceased by his daughters Heather and Sally, and his son Peter. After Peter passed away in 1967, Gary joined the family. Martin loved children and was a fantastic father. If you wanted to learn to skate, swim, or ski, he would learn alongside you – even offering to take university calculus if it helped to do it together. He always supported others dreams and did whatever he could to help achieve them. He spent a lot of time sliding on his belly learning to figure skate, and even though swimming was not his strength, he gave it his best. Martin was never afraid to try something new.

When Martin wanted to try something new, he would do research first. He had been an accomplished boxer in Great Britain and kept boxing during his early military service. No one in the family could skip rope better than he could. Martin enjoyed detailed work like fixing watches or cameras, and he shared his love of photography and leatherwork with his grandsons Matthew and Marshall. He started playing golf when he lived in Trenton, and his passion for the game stayed with him through many provinces and years. He not only learned to play well but also built his own clubs and always looked for ways to improve his game and help others with theirs. Even if his advice was not always welcomed, the recipient generally benefited from it.

His love and support for family continued with the arrival of his grandchildren. Matthew, Marshall, and Arielle were lucky to have his support as they grew up. He often said that his favorite job was when he retired and became a caregiver. He spent many hours rocking, talking, and connecting with the little ones. As they grew, he attended every game, show, or recital while cheering them on from the sidelines. Martin was privileged to spend time with his great-granddaughter Adeleine (Arielle and Patrick), who was born in February 2026. They shared many moments “talking” during his final months. One of his last requests of the family was to “take care of the baby”.

Martin was predeceased by his parents, Herbert and Mary; his siblings John, Mary, Herbert, Sylvester, and Patrick; his daughters Heather and Sally; his son Peter; his in-laws Minnie and Ernest; his brothers-in-law Glen and Eric; his grandson Ethan, and other extended family members. He is survived by his wife Rose Marie, daughter Nina (George), son Gary, grandsons Matthew (Natalie), Marshall, Kent, Darion, granddaughter Arielle (Patrick), great-granddaughter Adeleine, and many extended family members and friends.

A service to celebrate his life will be held on September 5th, 2026, at Our Saviours Lutheran Church in Ardath, Saskatchewan. Martin lived a full life and will be greatly missed.