Martin Louis Blair

OBITUARY

Cherished husband, friend, entrepreneur and civic supporter, Martin Louis Blair, 74, passed away peacefully at home on Sept. 4. His generous spirit, unwavering patriotism and booming laugh touched the lives of countless friends, colleagues and community members, whose lives he enriched.

For more than four decades, Martin was a stalwart presence in San Diego civic and business life. He saw the potential for San Diego’s resurgence following the economic challenges of the early 1980s. He and his wife, Cynthia Steineger Blair, opened the now-iconic Kansas City Barbeque along the city’s waterfront, which helped encourage renewed investment and activity in the area.

The couple operated the Barbeque as a convivial meeting place for newcomers and old friends alike. Martin’s infectious laugh was a clear signal that a friendly get-together was in progress and that all were welcome. His warmth and welcoming presence inspired loyalty from friends and employees, many of whom remained with the Barbeque for a decade or longer. For Martin, the Barbeque was more than the legendary restaurant and bar renown as the filming location for iconic scenes in the 1986 classic movie, Top Gun. It was a gathering place where friendships were formed, stories shared and visitors often became family.

In addition to the Kansas City Barbeque (now 43 years), Martin and Cindy immersed themselves in numerous other endeavors in the hospitality field, either as hands-on sole proprietors or as investors. Their ventures included The Kansas City Steakhouse in San Diego’s Gaslamp district, Green Flash Brewing Co., Ocean House in Carlsbad and the RMD Group, which operates several area restaurants.

Martin’s civic-mindedness showed itself in many ways. As a young business owner, he was a charter member and founder of The Rotary Club of Downtown San Diego, where he threw himself wholeheartedly into numerous service projects. Martin’s philanthropy and generosity were truly prolific in scope. Just a few of the many projects he supported were “Holes for Heroes,” a golf tournament benefitting numerous military organizations, the U.S.S. Midway Museum’s “No Child Left Behind,” which focuses on providing educational opportunities for underserved children and the Rotary Foundation, which has saved an estimated 1,200 lives every minute through its various humanitarian efforts.

One favorite was the Rotaract Club of Downtown San Diego, an organization of young professionals who engage in charitable projects and social activities that foster leadership skills. He hosted monthly meetings for the group that were well attended and enjoyed. Unexpectedly, these convivial meetings even resulted in several marriages among the so-called “YoPros.”

Martin also looked for ways to mentor the next generation by connecting young people with the worlds of business, finance and community. He supported and hosted events for the scholarship programs of many organizations, including Nativity Prep Academy, a private middle school aimed at helping disadvantaged children excel in high school and college and Samueli Academy Orange County, a school aimed at helping children in the foster care system succeed in school.

Perhaps most visible of Martin’s commitments to the community is the annual Thanksgiving Day buffet for military stationed in the San Diego area. Each year, active-duty service members are welcomed to the Barbeque for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner offered free of charge as a gesture of gratitude for their service.

Martin Louis Blair was born May 23, 1952, in Kansas City, Mo. to Isabel Martin Blair, who managed the home, and David Blair, a funeral director. A sister, Carolyn, was born 18 months later. The family moved to the San Diego area in 1957 when David Blair became funeral director for Cypress View Mausoleum. The family helped found the Torrey Pines Christian Church in 1960. Throughout his high school years Martin was a member of the church’s Christian Youth Fellowship, staying in close contact to the present day with fellow members. Isabel Blair was widowed when Martin was a young teenager. Subsequently, she married Robert Morris, an executive with SDG&E. Bob Morris, a widower, added four stepsiblings to the family and became a beloved mentor to Martin.

As a teenager, Martin earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest achievement in the Boy Scouts of America. He graduated from La Jolla High School in 1970, earned a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Denver in 1974 and a master’s degree in business from the University of Kansas in 1975. Martin maintained strong ties to Kansas. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the Kansas University teams and the Kansas City Chiefs football team, and throughout his life he made frequent visits to the state to attend games and visit family and friends.

After earning his master’s degree, he signed on as chief financial officer of The Martin Company, a small family-run real estate and development company in Topeka, Kan. There he met his wife, Cindy, an architect. After several years in Topeka, the couple moved to San Diego in 1981, when Martin became chief financial officer for Starboard Development Co., a firm that pioneered public-private partnerships and turnkey public sector development. Both were working full-time in their respective professions when they opened the Barbeque in 1983 as a sideline. It quickly became a full-time passion, and Martin continued to be a near daily presence at the Barbeque until shortly before his passing.

Martin is survived by his beloved wife of almost 50 years, Cindy. He was preceded in passing by his sister, Carolyn Blair McInerney. Other survivors include stepsiblings Janet (Marco) Perez, Wendy (Don) Morris Goheen, Ken (Amelia) Morris, Stuart (Anne) Morris and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. Nephew Mitch McInerney partnered with Martin in the business several years ago and will continue leading the Kansas City Barbeque into the future.

Martin was a man of few words, but abundant good deeds. A lifelong patriot, Martin was deeply grateful for the opportunities he had been afforded, and he believed just as strongly in helping others create opportunities of their own. His life was defined by generosity, optimism and an abiding belief in the power of community. Whether welcoming strangers to a table, mentoring young people or expressing gratitude to those who served the nation, he built fellowship wherever he went. He left a lasting mark on San Diego and on the countless people fortunate enough to know him. Martin will be deeply missed, but his legacy of friendship, service and community will live on in the lives he touched.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to The Rotary Foundation of San Diego or San Diego Junior Achievement Financial Literacy Program.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.