The city of Jackson is mourning the loss of longtime public servant and former mayor Martin "Marty" Griffin, who died Saturday night at age 63 following a battle with multiple health issues.
Griffin was the longest-serving mayor in Jackson’s history, holding office from 1995 to 2006 and again from 2011 to 2013. Between those terms, he represented the 64th District in the Michigan House of Representatives. He had served as city treasurer since 2018 until he died.
Deputy Treasurer Lisa Skalski called Griffin’s death a major loss for the city.
“Marty was a true advocate for the city of Jackson,” Skalski said. “It’s a profound loss, I think, for the community as well as all of us—co-workers, family and friends.”
Skalski described Griffin as both a mentor and a leader, noting his dedication to the people he worked with.
“He had a work ethic that you wanted to emulate,” she said. “But he was also invested in the people that worked for him. He was always encouraging us to find that balance between work and family because it was so important to him.”
Earlier this year, the city renamed New Leaf Park to Griffin Park, honoring the Griffin family's long history of public service in Jackson.