Marty Sloan

Donald Martin Sloan, known to us as “Marty,” passed away on February 24, 2026, at the age of 69. Marty was born June 20, 1956, in Burlington, North Carolina, which meant, much to his dismay, that he was not a native Texan. At three months old, his family moved to Fort Worth, where he was raised by his parents, Rae and Keith Sloan, alongside his brother, David. Family camping trips were a treasured part of his childhood. Marty graduated from Paschal High School as third in his class of 683 students and went on to obtain a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Architectural Engineering and a Master of Science in Engineering from the University of Texas. He was a longtime resident of Austin, Texas.

Marty began his engineering career in 1979 at Walter P Moore in Houston, and then joined Datum Engineers in 1980 as part of its newly opened Austin office. Over 45 years, Marty became a vice president, part owner, and member of the Executive Board. He served as structural engineer of record for projects including Seton Medical Center Austin - Women's Center, which received an NCSEA Excellence in Structural Engineering Award, and Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas. His work also included restoration efforts at The Alamo, as well as significant roles in the Dallas Police Memorial, One American Center, and the Texas State Capitol Extension. As technology became integral to engineering, Marty also oversaw Datum’s IT infrastructure. He retired on June 20, 2025.

Marty loved working for Datum, but his big loves were God and his family. Marty met Terri at the University of Texas during the spring of their freshman year, and they were married in San Antonio in 1978. They raised two sons, Brian and Stephen, continuing the family tradition of camping trips across the country. Marty warmly welcomed his daughters-in-law, Barbara and Kirsten, and found great joy in being “Grandpa” to Dustin and Tanner.

Marty and Terri enjoyed traveling, and Marty loved chronicling and sharing their travels through his many photos.

Marty was an active member of Northwest Hills UMC for over 45 years. For most of that time, he was a devoted choir member and led music on Emmaus Walks and Gatherings. When Covid hit, he made significant contributions to the effort to livestream worship services. Until his diagnosis, Marty could be found on many Sunday mornings managing the projections.

Before being diagnosed with brain cancer, Marty prayed that God would show him His love. Throughout his illness, he experienced that love through the care of family, church, and colleagues. He often spoke of the peace and strength he felt, and of his anticipation of meeting the Creator of the Universe and finally understanding how everything works. Marty’s family is deeply grateful to all who supported him and Terri, especially the United Methodist Men and the women of the church, whose steadfast love and encouragement were a constant comfort. Through the love of friends and family, Marty’s prayer was answered.

In lieu of flowers we would like donations made out to Northwest Hills United Methodist Church for the youth summer mission trip.

https://nwhillsumc.org/donate/