Wayne Martin, a celebrated figure in Central Kentucky, died at the age of 79, just weeks before he would have turned 80. His passing was announced by family members, who said he was surrounded by loved ones at the time.
Born in Winchester, Martin excelled academically and athletically, graduating with honors from Morehead State University in 1968 before earning a master’s degree in 1972. He began his professional journey as a teacher and coach at Pikeville High School, later moving to Pikeville College where he guided teams to three national tournament appearances. From 1978 to 1987 he served as head coach of the Morehead State Eagles, leading the program to two NCAA tournament berths and earning Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year honors in 1982. Under his tutelage, three players — including NBA draftee Bob McCann — went on to professional careers, and Martin himself was inducted into the MSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995.
Martin’s influence extended beyond the hardwood. In 1990 he entered the broadcasting world, starting at WYMT‑TV in Hazard before rising to vice president and general manager at WKYT‑TV in Lexington. He later became president of Gray Kentucky Television Inc., overseeing a cluster of stations that included WKYT, WYMT, and WBKO. In 1993 he assumed the top role at WKYT, steering the station for nearly two decades while also serving as regional vice president of Gray Kentucky Television and president of WVLT in Knoxville, Tennessee, before retiring in 2012.
A Life of Service
His public service was equally extensive. Martin chaired the Kentucky and Greater Lexington Chambers of Commerce, the Lexington Area Sports Authority, and the Lexington Center Corporation. He also led the United Way campaign, sat on the boards of Central Bancshares, Central Baptist Hospital, Kentucky‑American Water, and the American Heart Association, and served as chairman of the Governor’s Scholars Foundation.
Survived by his wife Kathy Goins and their sons Matthew, Michael and Chris, Martin’s legacy is cemented through a scholarship endowment bearing his name, a new residence hall — Martin Hall — scheduled to open in spring 2027, and the MSU Founders Award he received in 2025. The university’s board of regents, on which he served his fourth term through 2027, praised his “superior service to the institution.”