Public Visitation: Tuesday, January 5, 2021, 4-8 PM at Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home, Cokato. Covid 19 restrictions will be in place (mask and social distancing of 6 feet apart).
James Craig Martinson, age 64, of Cokato, passed away Saturday, December 19, 2020.
James was born in Litchfield, MN on January 6, 1956 to Arnold & Pauline (Clements) Martinson. He attended Elim Mission Church. While in school he was active in 4-H, Boy Scouts and various sports. He graduated from Dassel-Cokato High School in 1974. He attended some classes at Northwestern Bible College and then went on to Hutchinson Vocational Technical College and studied Automotive. On November 3, 1979 he married his High School sweetheart Debra (Berg) at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Dassel, MN. They made Cokato their lifelong home and have settled just south of Cokato. The union was blessed with three children, Jimmy, Jessica and Joey.
Jim worked for Moberg Motors as an Auto Mechanic for several years. He spent 32 years working for the family business, Martinson Construction. Afterwards, he worked a variety of jobs including driving bus for DC which he really enjoyed.
He worked hard being a public servant. He served on the Cokato Fire Department for 30 years and the Cokato Ambulance for several of those years. He achieved many ranks in the Fire Department, retiring as a Captain. One of his greatest joys was serving on the department with his eldest son Jimmy. He was a lifetime volunteer at the Cokato Corn Carnival.
Jim was a general handyman, loved auto mechanics, classic cars, auto body, race cars, wood working, and collecting baseball memorabilia. He loved to spend time with his family and grandchildren. Jim always loved time spent at the family cabin in Effie, MN; fishing and swimming with the kids and grandchildren. He loved heading to car swap meets with the crew. Jim always loved a good breakfast at the DQ or Northwood’s Inn. He always loved family vacations spent in Arizona and Duluth.
Jim fought a hard battle with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. He first started showing symptoms in 2014 and his health gradually deteriorated before receiving a lung transplant in 2017. Though his health went back and forth after, Jim was grateful for the additional time he was able to spend with his friends and family.
Jim is survived by his wife, Debbie; three children, Jimmy (Janell) Martinson of Cokato, Jessica (Austin) Engelsmeier of Brownton, Joey Martinson (Shawna) of Monticello; seven grandchildren; Easton, Emma, Addison, Ellie, Gracelyn, Abram, Callan; two brothers John (Kristie) Martinson, Bruce (Shelley) Martinson and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents.
