MARTINS, Victor Cajetan Martins - October 20, 1950 - September 23, 2024

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Victor Cajetan Martins on September 23, 2024, at the age of 73.

Born to Manuel Gabriel and Teresa Esperanza Martins on October 20, 1950 in Bombay, India, he was their pride and joy and their only son who they absolutely doted on.

A brilliant student, he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree having attended St. Xavier's College in Bombay.

Following into the musical footsteps of another genius, his father Gabriel (a professional jazz trumpeter and saxophonist), Victor began to develop a genuine passion for the piano. This captured his father’s attention and Gabriel decided to admit the very young Victor and his sister, Leoncie, to Olga Krahn’s music school in Bombay, where he learned how to read, write and compose music.

Olga was a notable music professor and under her expert tutelage, both siblings went on to become her star students and she sent them to perform at various musical festivals. It was competition at its best and both would bag the top two spots.

Victor then pursued his jazz studies at the Professional Goan Jazz Musicians Association in Bombay. He started his career playing the organ in the Catholic church for requiem masses and weddings at a very young age, before running off to school and getting scolded for being late.

Then at just 16 years, Victor started his own band called The Minstrels, later on changing the name to Matadors, in which his father played the trumpet, his sister was the singer, and he played the keyboard. The result was sheer magic! Well received by Indian and European guests, they were a band in high demand.

He met his wife and love of his life, Veronica, when he was performing in Bangalore, India. They married in 1976 and were blessed with a beautiful daughter, January Vanessa Martins in 1980.

An alumnus of the Trinity College Of Music London, Victor studied western classical music and this musical prodigy went on to perform at various hotels in India and the Middle-East before going solo.

After living in the middle east for a few years, Victor and his family moved back to India. Together with his wife Veronica, they built their dream home in Bangalore where they lived for many years before moving to Canada in 1994. Despite the challenges they faced in a new country, they worked hard and built a beautiful life here successfully. A careful risk taker, Victor started his own piano business and being a master piano technician, he was known to work his magic and fix pianos in any condition. He continued to perform as a professional Jazz and Pop pianist, performing at many hotels and events in Toronto. It was sheer poetry in motion watching him play with his fingers flying over the keyboard leaving family, friends and audiences in awe, enthralled at his musical genius!

He was a true animal lover and had many pets over his lifetime. The loss of his beloved dog Pudgie was truly devastating for him.

He loved his homeland, Goa and often reminisced about life there. He would often share stories about his childhood and his grandmother who would cook him all the Goan delicacies he loved such as sorpotel and the famous goa sausages!

Unique in his own ways, he had a vibrant personality and was never afraid of speaking his mind. Loud and proud, one either loved him or hated him and he was fine with that. He called it the way he saw it. He definitely did things his way!

His family was his world, and he loved his wife, daughter and son in law dearly. He absolutely adored his grandchildren, Olivia and Nicholas who will miss their papa deeply but will carry on his talent for music.

Victor’s deteriorating health due to a debilitating illness led to an untimely demise and has left his loved ones devastated with this loss. He was dearly loved and admired by all who knew him. He has left a mark on each member of his family and will be deeply mourned.

May his soul rest in eternal peace and may he rest in the loving care of our Lord.

Survived by his loving wife, Veronica
Daughter: Janey (January Vanessa)
Son-in-law: Steve
Grand children: Olivia and Nicholas
Sisters: Leoncie, Arcadia and Michelle
Brother-in-laws: Norman, Colin, Cyril, John, Jude, Viktor, Mark and Dirk
Sister-in-laws: Hazel, Linda, Teresa, Patricia
Nephews: Shannon and Kurt
Nieces: Amara and Tamaris

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to a charity of your choice.