Funeral held for Wayne Martin, former WKYT executive and Morehead State coach

WINCHESTER, Ky. (WKYT) - Funeral services were held in Winchester Thursday afternoon for Wayne Martin, the former WKYT executive and championship basketball coach at Morehead State University.

Those who knew the 79-year-old described him as a leader in the boardroom, on the hardwood and in life. Those he influenced packed a downtown Winchester church, saying goodbye and thank you.

Friends and family remember Martin

Loved ones, friends and former co-workers of Wayne Martin packed the First Christian Church Disciples of Christ in Winchester.

Hagan Codell grew up with Martin in Winchester on Boone Avenue.

“We were out there throwing spit balls at cars, so that’s where our friendship started, we lived right across the street from each other,” Codell said.

Jerry Johns was Martin’s pastor for the past 15 years.

“We are here to celebrate with joy the life of Wayne Martin,” Johns said.

“He’s lived a really wonderful life and it is difficult to say goodbye to him, it truly is,” Johns said.

Basketball career at Morehead State

Coach Martin led Morehead State basketball from 1978 to 1987. As coach, he won OVC championships, earned two NCAA Tournament berths and had an NCAA Tournament victory.

One of his former players, Jeff Tipton, came in from Florida to say goodbye. He remembers Coach Martin’s talks about what to expect in life after basketball.

“And we didn’t want to hear it, we didn’t want to listen to it, or I did, I remember it still, so I used it my whole life,” Tipton said.

Kentucky politician Rocky Adkins was Coach Martin’s first signee at MSU. He played point guard.

“I have never had a better coach, never had a better friend, he was my second father,” Adkins said.

Civic leadership in central Kentucky

Martin also became one of the most respected civic leaders across central Kentucky. He served multiple terms on the Board of Regents at MSU, and through many telethons at WKYT he helped raise millions of dollars in natural disaster relief aid.

In 2003, the Junior Achievement of the Bluegrass inducted him into the Business Hall of Fame.

“He was very, very much involved in the community,” said Lynn Hudgins, former president of Junior Achievement of the Bluegrass.

Former colleagues share memories

WKYT’s Amber Philpott and Dave Buzz Baker shared thoughts about their former boss.

“Even when Wayne was no longer our boss I still wanted to make him proud, and even in death Wayne will still be the person who will always drive me to be better,” Philpott said.

“He gave us the freedom to be involved civically and the support to be involved with people when they needed that support the most, and so today we are all here because of the example that he set,” Baker said.

“It’s a good day to celebrate a life well lived,” Johns said.

Last April, MSU broke ground on a new dorm called Martin Hall. The Wayne Martin Scholarship Endowment has also been established, garnering more than $100,000 in committed support.