Poker Media Veteran Marty Derbyshire Passes Away at Age 52
The poker world received sad news this past weekend when it was revealed that longtime poker media veteran Marty Derbyshire, 52, passed away unexpectedly from Melioidosis, also known as Whitmore's disease, an uncommon bacterial infection.
Originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, Derbyshire relocated to Thailand several years ago where he married his wife, Karnjanawan Jiamrum. She was the one to share the news on social media:
“Martin Derbyshire has passed away at the age of 52 years with Melioidosis (Melioidosis). Rest in peace my love. We will meet again in the next life. We were so blessed. I will always love you my love. May your soul rest in heaven.”
Derbyshire worked for many different outlets throughout his career including PokerLisitings and PokerNews where he was both a live reporter at stops around the world as well as a go-to scribe for articles.
Longtime PokerNews reporter Mo Nuwwarah worked closely with Derbyshire over the years and offered the following:
“Love him or hate him – and he certainly ruffled more than a few feathers during his time in poker – you had to respect that Marty always did things his way. He did them with his unique brand of cutting humor, oftentimes without care for how he was ‘supposed’ to do them. The guy was a riot, but if you were his friend, you’d best be on guard at all times because he was liable to roast you.
I’ll always remember his hunting and pecking at the keyboard, his infectious laugh, his willingness to tackle the tough stories (Donnie Peters called him our bulldog), and the long hours we put in together over several summers and one unforgettable winter at Borgata. Most of all, I’ll remember him as a big brother early in my career. He taught me a lot about this industry when I was a pup, and I’ll forever be thankful for his guidance.”
Former PokerNews Editor-in-Chief Matthew Parvis echoed those sentiments:
"During the 10 years that I was fortunate enough to work in the poker industry, I can’t think of too many people who were more engaging to work with Marty Derbyshire. He had instinct, creativity, wit, and a knack for being bold and unafraid with his opinions. There were more than a handful of times that his work would get him and me in a bit of hot water, and looking back I’m so proud to have backed him to speak his mind and challenge the status quo of a blossoming industry. Marty had such a passion for poker and a passion for life. He will be missed and I will look back at our relationship with nothing but fondness."
Benjo DiMeo wrote: “Shocking news. Marty was a great writer and character. Both mischievous and generous. Got into trouble a few times, was loved ten-fold. Dozens of great memories from all over the world popping in my head now. RIP.”
Dozens of other prominent poker media members offered their condolences including Jennifer Newell, David Tuchman, and Eric Ramsey. PokerNews also offers condolences to the friends and family of Derbyshire and recognizes the contributions he made not only to our outlet but the poker community as a whole.
Click here to see a library of PokerNews articles written by Marty Derbyshire.
