Martin D. Coffta, 68, went off on his last road trip, surrounded by his loving family on Feb. 29, 2024, after a short battle with cancer.
A bright light and true adventurer he never shied away from a challenge and was an intrepid traveler. Marty visited 49 of the 50 states – sadly Hawaii missed out - and did a cross-country tour of Canada. He sometimes, went on foot, sometimes pedaled his beloved Takara 10-speed, sometimes hopped a train, and sometimes flew by as a blur on his BMW motorcycle. In the last years of his life, his preferred vehicle was his beloved 1997 Dodge Ram camper van, Belle. The Takara took him 840 miles on a scenic tour of the coast of California. His feet helped him hitchhike from Western New York to Seattle, and his BMW and van covered countless miles from Maine to New Orleans; Akron, NY, to Arizona and everywhere in between.
Marty was born on June 17, 1955, in Buffalo, N.Y., to Leonard and the late Emma Coffta. He was a 1973 graduate of Akron Central Schools and attended Erie Community College, where he studied electronics. Marty was the go-to mechanic at several places throughout his life including Darien Lake, Fisher Price, Eastman Kodak, Webster Plastics and Xerox. In between those gigs he showed off his fishing skills working on a trawler in Alaska. He also spent time working on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, stuffing himself with oyster po’boys and enjoying the New Orleans nightlife.
Marty traveled light and loved hard, making friends, and creating memories wherever he went. He had a passion for live music and attended hundreds of concerts and shows in his lifetime. His wicked sense of humor stayed with him until the end. Marty truly loved nothing more than being able to make the people he loved laugh. In the last six years he fulfilled two lifelong dreams: traveling to the Isle of Man to see the world-famous Tourist Trophy Motorcycle Race in 2019; and finding the perfect houseboat in the perfect spot on the Wolf River, near Partridge Lake in beautiful Fremont, Wis. He was a beloved fixture at Anchor Point Marina, where he mowed the lawn and was the center of the Marina’s summer social scene.
Through it all, he never lost touch with his beloved family, including his children Megan (Todd) Dennis and Matt (Brittany) Coffta; grandchildren Maddison and Mason Dennis and Bryn Coffta; his cherished brother Jim (Chris) Coffta; sisters Michelle (Randy) Hollander and Kathy (John) Coffta Sims; and his niece Amy (Ed) Collver. In his last days, he finally won the Collver-Coffta Sorry Tournament – besting his favorite great niece Hannah Collver in an epic showdown.
Marty is also survived by his sister Suzanne (Robert) Webster; and brothers Joseph (Darlene) Coffta and Jeffrey (Stephanie) Coffta; many nieces and nephews; aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. In addition to his mother, he was predeceased by his sister Carol Ann (Steve) Hill and nephew Kevin Coffta.
There will be no calling hours. A private Memorial Service and epic party, featuring a playlist Marty created just for the occasion, will be held in his honor this spring.
Marty’s family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to Hospice of Western New York, with a special thank you to his wonderful nurse Lex and his favorite social worker Maria. Please consider a donation in his name to this amazing organization – which brought great comfort to all in his final days.
To leave a message of condolence please visit www.gilmartinfuneralhome.com. Arrangements completed by Gilmartin Funeral Home, 329-333 West Main Street Batavia, New York 14020.
