Wyatt Charles Martin

Wyatt Martin, 20, of Athena passed away at his home on Thursday, March 27, 2025. Wyatt was born on November 9, 2004 in Walla Walla, Washington to Mandy Rosenberg and Brandon Martin. Although his life was short, Wyatt embraced every day with a passion that touched the lives of many. His infectious smile, charismatic personality and unwavering loyalty led all those who knew him to love him.

Wyatt spent the earliest part of his life in North Powder before moving to Athena. He attended grade school in both Athena and Pendleton. Wyatt spent his springs playing baseball and at the Mustangers Arena playdays. His summers were spent with his Mom taking him and his sister to junior rodeos and the Pioneer Posse Summer playdays with his great horse “Firecracker Firecracker Boom Boom Boom”. He also spent long hours beside his dad farming and ranching with an occasional trip to the cabin for fishing.

Wyatt was a cowboy from the time he hit the ground. He often saddled up and headed down the trail alongside his legendary cowboy heroes, Uncle Ky and Papa. Wyatt began riding steers, then at age 12 he entered the mini pony wild horse race at the Haines Stampede with his good friends Parker Deal and Dawson McGinn. This led to him getting on his first min bronc. Wyatt won the event and he was hooked on riding anything that bucked from then on.

He first tried out bareback horses, following in his dad’s footsteps, by attending the Diamond J Rodeo Bible Camp where he won his first buckle. He rode mini-bareback horses at the Elgin Stampede along with some other junior rodeos along the way. He quickly made the switch to the saddle bronc riding, attending as many clinics and rodeo schools as he could including a trip to the Columbia River Circuit rough stock school in Benton City, multiple trips to the Rodeo Bible Camp in Pendleton and The Tri-County Rough stock Clinic in Powell Butte. Wyatt would ride as many broncs as they’d load for him wherever they’d load them; always riding the horse that nobody else wanted to get on, also usually the rankest horse in the pen.

Wyatt attended school in Pilot Rock, Pendleton and transferred to Athena his junior year. It was in Athena where Wyatt gained a great set of friends that truly understood and loves the agricultural  way of life as he did. Having never played football on the big field, Wyatt’s friends recruited him to wear the red and black jersey of the Tigerscots during his senior year. Wyatt’s coaches noted how fast and talented Wyatt was and they said they wished they could have had him on the team another year; there was talk of Wyatt being a “super senior” which Mandy quickly squashed.

After high school graduation Wyatt discovered his other passion—truckin’. After going to work for Brandon King and PAC Ag, Wyatt finally took Brandon up on the opportunity to work and gain a CDL. Not only did Wyatt qualify for the license, he nearly aced the test. He traveled with his dog Santos, which he taught to only speak Spanish. When asked why he did that, Wyatt said it was because he did not want Santos to listen to anyone else.

Wyatt was a hard worker and always willing to lend a helping hand with a great attitude and genuine smile. When Wyatt wasn’t busy being one of the boys, he was inseparable from his olde sister, Dakota. Only 21 months apart, they were a team from the beginning, taking on life and all it had to give together. His vintage style was a nod to his traditional values; you’d often see Wyatt wearing hand me down brushpoppers, pearl snaps and worn out old boots from his Papa and Uncle Ky. Often he wore his Mom and Uncle’s old rodeo jackets and vests, these jackets were well-worn as many are left with holes from Wyatt’s welding projects.

Wyatt is preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, William Edward Martin Sr. Wyatt is survived by his parents, mother Mandy Rosenberg of Pendleton and father and step- mother Brandon & Kelli Martin of Elgin; siblings Dakota, Baler, Vivian, and Bridger Martin; grandmothers Teri Smith and Wendy (Bob) Martin-Kell; grandfather, Dick Rosenberg; aunts Jodi (Ryan) Endicott, Chantel (Jason) Heisey, Lisa (Vince) Santillan, Chrissy Martin, and Holly Lopez; uncles Ky (Courtney) Rosenberg, Darrin Chavez, and Bill (Patuk) Martin; cousins, Paige & Preston and 17 paternal cousins; his girlfriend, Jordyn Ratchford; and honorary grandmother, Steffi Carter.

A celebration of life will be held for Wyatt at high noon on Sunday, April 6 at the Pendleton Mustangers Arena. There will be a livefeed of the service on the Wyatt Martin Celebration of Life Facebook page.