Karen "Big Mama" Martin

In Loving Memory of Karen “Big Mama” Martin

Karen Martin AKA: Big Mama, 72, of Boise, Idaho, passed away on Monday, July 27, 2026 at her home. 

Big Mama never met a stranger. She had a way of making people feel like they mattered. Whether you needed a friend, a laugh, or just someone to listen, she always seemed to show up at the right time. Whether you met her on a car lot, over a cup of coffee, climbing into her Uber, or somewhere in between, chances are you walked away with a smile and a new friend. That’s just who she was.

Big Mama was born on September 29, 1953, in Vermont and grew up in Hayward and Castro Valley, California, where she graduated from Castro Valley High School in 1971. She was the fourth of eight children, born to Marilynn “Micki,” whom she loved dearly. Her journey eventually took her to Las Vegas, where she met her best friend, Melody. Their friendship began in 1988 and lasted a lifetime. After time in Reno, Big Mama made Boise, Idaho, her home in 1991.

Boise wasn’t just where Big Mama lived, it was where she found her community, and where her community found her.

Big Mama loved working with people, and it showed. After years selling and managing manufactured homes, she found her place in car sales, where she spent more than 25 years before retiring. She wasn’t just known for selling cars, she was known for the way she treated people. Her laugh was contagious, her smile made people feel at ease, and she had a gift for turning complete strangers into lifelong friends. She remembered names, celebrated milestones, and somehow made buying a car feel more like catching up with an old friend. Over the years, thousands of people across the Treasure Valley came to know Big Mama, and many came back again and again because they trusted her and simply enjoyed being around her.

Even after retiring, Big Mama couldn’t stay away from people. She spent some time driving for Uber because she genuinely enjoyed meeting new people. If you climbed into the car with the BIGMOMA license plate, you knew you were in for good conversation, a few laughs, and a ride you probably wouldn’t forget.

If there was one thing Big Mama wanted her community to know, it was how much she appreciated the people who served it. She started the Coffee 4 Cops, Firefighters & EMTs campaign because she wanted the community to have a simple way to thank the people who spent their holidays serving everyone else. For more than 15 years, she poured her heart into making sure law enforcement officers and first responders throughout the Treasure Valley could enjoy a free cup of coffee during the holiday season. She partnered with Starbucks, encouraged local businesses and people throughout the community to contribute, and gave generously herself. Year after year, she made sure the tradition continued and grew, giving the community a simple way to say, “Thank you.”

Big Mama was also proud of another journey, 34 years of sobriety. She never hid the hard parts of her life because she believed they might help someone else. She believed people deserved second chances because she’d lived one herself, and she spent the rest of her life encouraging others, offering hope, and reminding people that their past didn’t have to decide their future.

She also had a soft spot for dogs, especially the big ones. Just like people, she never seemed to do anything halfway. Her home was often shared with four-legged friends who were every bit as big-hearted as she was.

A few months ago, Big Mama shared something that has stayed with so many people. She wrote that she simply hoped the things she had done had made a positive impact on other people’s lives. Looking at the countless stories people have shared, the friendships she built, the community she brought together, and the lives she touched, the answer is easy, she did.

Big Mama was preceded in death by her parents and her two older siblings. She leaves behind her daughter, Tanya; her granddaughters, Chloe and Emaline; her best friend, Melody; her younger siblings, and a community that was lucky to call her one of its own.

Her story doesn’t end here. It lives on in every friendship she made, every life she touched, every cup of coffee shared, and every person who feels inspired to make someone else feel like they matter.

If you’d like to honor Big Mama, share a laugh, lend a hand, thank a first responder, buy them a cup of coffee, or simply take a moment to make someone feel like they matter. Those small acts of kindness were never really small to her.

In lieu of flowers, there are a couple of organizations that were a big part of Big Mama's heart that you can donate to in her memory.  

Ada County -  Venmo - @acsea   Reference the K-9 division and in memory of Big Mama or mail a check to  ACSEA PO Box 45009 Boise, Idaho 83714  Reference the K-9 Division in the notes box and in memory of Big Mama.

Boise PD K-9 Unit

Idaho Saint Bernard Rescue Group    Idaho Saint Bernard Rescue

Arrangements are in the care of the Potter Funeral Chapel, Emmett, Idaho. 

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