Two years ago on Oct. 12, more than 100 community members gathered at the Morgan Hill Historical Society’s Villa Mira Monte to celebrate the life of Marty Cheek, the publisher of Morgan Hill Life and Gilroy Life who passed away in September 2024.
It was a fitting place to remember a man who dedicated so much of his life to local journalism and the communities we serve. Friends, colleagues and community members came together to share memories, honor his contributions and reflect on the difference one person can make in the place he calls home.
Born and raised in Hollister, Marty understood that a community newspaper is about people, relationships and the stories that bring us together. He believed in that mission, and he devoted himself to it.
Those of us who had the privilege of knowing and working with Marty remember his commitment to local journalism and his understanding of how important a hometown newspaper is to a community. But Marty wasn’t defined only by his work. He also had a personal connection to Morgan Hill, and one of his favorite things to do was take a walk up Third Street to Nob Hill to watch the sunrise or sunset.
I like that image. A man who spent so much time helping tell the stories of a community also made time to appreciate the place itself. Now, some of Marty’s friends are working to make sure that memory lives on in a permanent way by creating a plaque that will be placed at the Third Street Park to honor him and his contributions to Morgan Hill.
It’s a fitting tribute to someone who believed in the importance of community. The plaque will give future generations a chance to learn about Marty and the role he played in telling Morgan Hill’s story.
Two years ago, the gathering at Villa Mira Monte gave us an opportunity to celebrate Marty. The planned plaque will offer another way to remember him—not just on an anniversary but throughout the year, as residents visit the park and reflect.
As we mark the second anniversary of that gathering, I’m grateful to the people who came to Villa Mira Monte to honor Marty, and for the friends who are now working to establish a lasting tribute.
Marty’s good friend John McKay said having Cheek as a beloved friend brings back memories which elicit many smiles.
“I’ve said it many times, Marty had so much more to offer our communities,” McKay told me. “Always up for a good debate, a beer and a good meal. Through his writing and community volunteering he touched so many of us in a way that felt so natural and familiar we trusted him and maybe didn’t fully realize what he meant to us until he was gone.”
So, the next time you’re walking through the park or taking a moment to watch the sunrise or sunset over Morgan Hill, think of Marty. Remember his dedication to local journalism and his love for this community.
Two years later, we still miss him. But his legacy lives on in the stories we tell, the community he helped serve and the people who haven’t forgotten him.
