Martin Gorecki, 48, passed away unexpectedly on February 23, 2026, in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania.
He was born on August 8th, 1977, in Trzebnica, Poland and he immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1982, settling in Ambridge, where he built his life but remained deeply proud of his Polish heritage.
In 1995, Martin enlisted in the United States Army, where he served as a turret mechanic with the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Georgia. He completed multiple tours, including Seoul, Korea; Kuwait; and “Operation Desert Thunder” in Iraq. Martin took great pride in serving his country.
He continued that same dedication in civilian life, spending many years as a mechanical superintendent, traveling the country—one of his projects being New York City’s subway system. This reflected his mechanical expertise and strong work ethic.
Martin was once married to Stacy Gorecki, and together they shared his only son, Austin Gorecki. He was also a stepfather to Alyssa Gorecki. He was preceded in death by his father, Henry Gorecki. He is survived by his mother, Elizabeth Gorecki; his brother, David Gorecki (Tammy), and their daughter, Isabella; and his sister, Joanna Gauthier (Javier), and their daughters, Amaiya, Macie, Kayla, and Jena. Martin was the firstborn and the deeply cherished love of his late paternal Babcia, Wanda Górecka; late Pra-Babcia, Helena Szczukiewicz and late maternal Babcia, Teresa Bronowicka. He is also survived by many uncles, aunts, and cousins living in Poland, who hold him close in their hearts across the distance.
Martin was known for his ability to make people laugh and for the humor he carried into every room. He loved his friends and held some especially close over the years. He could be stubborn at times—a family trait—but those who knew him best understood that beneath that tough exterior was a good heart. His color was always dark blue, a shade that reflected his nature and quiet strength.
Martin, a United States veteran, was loyal to those he served beside. He shared a close bond with his best friend, Chad Hayward, and Chad’s family meant a great deal to him. Martin was also known for his black Cavalier, which all of his friends from the Ambridge Class of 1995 remember fondly.
A visitation for family and friends will be held on Wednesday, March 4th from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Alvarez-Hahn Funeral Services and Cremation, LLC, 547 8th Street, Ambridge, who was in charge of his arrangements, and where a blessing service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 5th at the funeral home followed by an Honorable Veterans Burial at 1 p.m. at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, 1158 Morgan Road, Bridgeville.
The family asks in lieu of flowers memorial contributions be sent to the Wounded Warrior Project at woundedwarrierproject.org.
