Rev. Dr. Jacob C Martinson, Jr.

Dr. Jacob Christian Martinson, a devoted minister and accomplished college and university president, passed away on Friday, August 16th, 2024. Born on April 15, 1933, Dr. Martinson became a steadfast advocate of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, emphasizing the importance of repentance, faith, and the born-again experience.

Throughout his career. Dr. Martinson made significant contributions to churches and Christian institutions. He began preaching as a student at Huntingdon College where he was a student. At the age of 29, he was appointed as the senior minister of Trinity Methodist Church in Pompano Beach, Florida. After five years there, under his administration a sanctuary was built that could seat 1200 people. Two thousand people attended on the opening Sunday, necessitating a second service. After seven years at Trinity Church, he was appointed senior pastor of the First Methodist Church in Winter Park, Florida. In his four years there, 800 new members joined that fine church.

After earning his doctor of divinity degree at Vanderbilt University, his exceptional leadership skills led him to serve as the president of Andrew College in Cuthbert, Georgia, and later as the president of Brevard College in Brevard, North Carolina. In 1985, Dr. Martinson accepted the invitation to become president of High Point College, soon to become High Point University, where he transformed the institution into the most financially secure Methodist university, of over 100 Methodist colleges and universities, in the nation. During his presidency at High Point University, the student enrollment increased from 1200 students to almost 3000.

Dr. Martinson’s legacy is marked by his unwavering faith and commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Under his ministry at High Point University, the campus chapel was full each Wednesday evening to an overflowing crowd of almost 300 students. Dr. Martinson's life and work will be remembered for generations to come, inspiring countless individuals to embrace the transformative power of faith through Jesus Christ.

Jacob Martinson was in demand as an inspirational speaker. During his college and university presidencies, he founded an interdenominational academy, the St. James Academy for Parish Clergy, emphasizing Biblical preaching. Famous churches and Christian retreats were chosen for the venues, including St. George’s West Church in Edinburgh, Scotland, featuring the former Dean of the Chapel at Duke University, Hugh Anderson. Another venue was the Chateau de Bossey in Switzerland, with Helmut Thielicke as the Academy’s honorary president and principal speaker. Thielicke preached to standing room only congregations in the famous St. Michaelis Church in Hamburg, Germany. Billy Graham and the Archbishop of Canterbury proclaimed him the world’s greatest preacher. Dr. Martinson was the Academy’s principal speaker at the historic St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C.

Throughout his college presidencies, Martinson pursued his preaching of the Gospel. He preached in over thirty states, in England, Scotland and Switzerland, preaching frequently in the smaller churches of Scotland while refusing honorariums. He was "called” to become the permanent minister to St. Katherine’s Church in Newburgh, Scotland. During his presidency at High Point University, he was invited to become the permanent senior minister at the largest Church of Scotland in England. Loyal to his own country, he declined the invitations with regret. For his devotion through the years to many other churches in the British Isles, he was honored by Westminster College in Oxford, England, becoming the first American to be named an Honorary Fellow of that college.

One of Jacob Martinson’s most vivid memories was his visit with President Dwight David Eisenhower. In 1963, he and Libby made reservations to cross the Atlantic on the ship, Cunard Line RMS Queen Elizabeth. In addition to a belated honeymoon, another objective was to visit St. Andrews University where he was studying toward his doctorate degree and where he had preached in many small churches across Scotland, refusing any honorarium.

Several weeks before departure, Jacob read in the national news that President Dwight David Eisenhower was to be on that very ship in preparation for a documentary of the 20* anniversary of the Normandy Invasion. Jacob had heard from his family that the Martinsons were distant kin to the Eisenhowers. "I am going to write the President a letter and ask if I could speak to him about our family.” He wrote that letter and mailed it, but there was no response.

We saw Eisenhower and his wife when they boarded the ship and did not expect to see him again. On the second day of our journey, there was a knock on our cabin door. A purser was standing there with a letter in his hand. "The General will see you tomorrow morning at 9:30 in his cabin.” We were in the D deck on the bottom floor of the ship. Eisenhower and his wife occupied the Presidential Suite.

Our visit was memorable. The president’s male secretary welcomed us. "Good morning, Jacob and Elizabeth! We were seated, and then President Eisenhower entered the room. We discussed family ties, and at the conclusion of our conversation, he said,” As one of my family, would you do me a favor? At the end of the war, as a gift for my efforts in World War II, I was given the Culzean Castle in Maybole, Scotland. The gift was meant for me and my family during my lifetime. I am embarrassed that I have not stayed there enough. Would you and your family stay there while you are in Scotland? Just ask for Mrs. Miller.

 What an adventure it was!

A few months after our return to the United States, we learned something extraordinary. Perhaps one reason we were invited to meet with him, and we were welcomed warmly into the Eisenhower family, was that his father’s name was Jacob and his mother’s name was Elizabeth!

Dr. Martinson is survived by his wife Libby, his daughters Beth Kilby, Kirsten Martinson, and his grandson Matthew Kilby.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 19, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at Memorial Chapel, Lake Junaluska Assembly. 

The care of Dr. Martinson has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Home of Waynesville