Martin J. Egan Jr., 36 Fire Department, Captain, Quick with a smile

Great Kills resident enjoyed skiing and working on his home By Frank Williams Monday, 09/17/2001 Capt. Martin Joseph Egan Jr. was always quick with a joke and willing to bring smiles to the faces he knew. Capt. Egan, a lifelong Staten Islander, enthusiastically joined the Fire Department when he was just 21 years old in March 1986, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 1995. He became a captain in May. On Tuesday, Capt. Egan, a member of Ladder Co. 118 in Brooklyn and a Great Kills resident, died after responding to the World Trade Center terror attack. "He was a dedicated son who was always there when you needed him," said his mother, Patricia Egan. "Life won't be the same without him." His father, Martin, called the 36-year-old Capt. Egan a loving son and his best friend. A graduate of Monsignor Farrell High School, he was a runner for the school's track team. His family said he was proud of running in his first New York City Marathon in November. Capt. Egan was also cherished for his attentiveness to his friends and family. He was always available to entertain his children and nieces and nephews. "Marty loved to talk," said his brother, Mark, a lieutenant with the city Fire Department's 23rd Battalion in Great Kills. "If I needed advice about work or anything else, I knew I could call him. I also knew I'd better be prepared to talk for an hour." Capt. Egan was a member of the Fire Department's Emerald Society and the Uniformed Officers Association. He enjoyed skiing and renovating his home. Born in Midland Beach, he moved to Great Kills in 1993 when he married. "He was a beloved husband and father," said his wife, the former Diane Newton. Capt. Egan was originally a parishioner of St. Margaret Mary's R.C. Church, Midland Beach, and later of St. Clare's R.C. Church, Great Kills. "He enjoyed going out, especially on St. Patrick's Day. He always went to both the Staten Island and city parades," said his sister, Colleen Egan. "He's not only my big brother, but my hero." "Marty was not only a loving brother but a devoted fire officer," said his brother, Michael, a firefighter with Ladder Co. 10 in Manhattan. "He was loved and admired by all who came in contact with him. He will be missed daily." His family said the memories of Capt. Egan will always be with them. In addition to his wife, Diane; his parents, Patricia and Martin; his two brothers, Michael and Mark, and his sister, Colleen, surviving are his son, Sean; his daughter, Kerry Ann Egan, and his maternal grandmother, Margaret McKeever. The funeral will be Thursday from the Richmond Funeral Home, Grant City, with a mass at 10 a.m. in St. Margaret Mary's Church. Burial will follow in Moravian Cemetery, New Dorp.

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