Richard de Leon Martinez

Richard de Leon Martinez was born on August 12, 1937, in Waco, Texas, into a large family of migrant farm workers who picked cotton before eventually moving to Austin. His father worked in construction and wanted Richard to join like his brother Joe. But Richard loved school. He loved learning, playing sports, and being around people.

He was social and had many friends, and he did not want to leave high school at 16 to go to work.

Instead, he found a way to stay. He got a job at El Patio and remained in school, continuing with the football team, even though work limited how much he could play. From an early age, he showed a strong drive and a natural ability to solve problems. Whether physical or mental, he could assess a situation clearly and find a way through it.

After high school, Richard joined the Navy in 1958. He served proudly aboard the USS Midway until 1962. Back in Austin, a connection that had started years earlier became something more. His sister Terrie was close friends with Gloria Castruita, who had grown up in the same neighborhood and walked to school with her. Gloria struggled with math, and Richard, who had a talent for it, found a way to help her learn. They wrote letters to each other while he was in the Navy, and when he returned, they began dating.

They were engaged and married in 1963.

That same year, they bought their first home on Westmoor Drive in North Central Austin, near the old airport. Together, they raised and showed German Shepherds. One of their dogs, Ahann, placed third in the country in obedience.

Richard worked for the Texas Education Agency, and Gloria was a nurse. They were a young Mexican-American couple in the 1960s with stable careers and good incomes. When they decided to move into a larger home, they faced a barrier: no mortgage company in Austin would lend to them. So they did it themselves. They designed, financed, and built their own custom home.

They moved into that home in San Leanna, south of Austin, on Cinco de Mayo in 1974. There, they raised their family. Their first son, Ricky, was born in 1972, and their second son, Mark, followed in 1979. Their home was full of life—chickens, rabbits, goats, a cow, geese, pigs, and the occasional horse running through the yard. They were dedicated gardeners, growing squash, herbs, tomatoes, jalapeños, and corn.

In the 1980s, Richard developed a deep interest in horticulture and planted 45 pecan trees from native Texas stock. He grafted different varieties onto them, and over time they produced thousands of pounds of amazingly delicious pecans. Gloria, an incredible cook, turned them into pies and pralines.

Because Richard had lost his father at a young age, he and Gloria made a deliberate decision: he would retire early so he could enjoy life while he had it. He retired at 52. They built a second home on the Pedernales River off of Lake Travis, where he fished, kept a boat, hosted large parties, and fully embraced retirement.

In the 1990s and 2000s, their sons moved away—Ricky to New York and Mark to Minneapolis. Richard and Gloria entered a new phase of life together, traveling, gardening, and enjoying their time as empty nesters.

Gloria passed away in 2011. That same year, Richard’s first grandson, Sebastian, was born.

Later, Richard met Mary Bufkin at the Austin Senior Center. They married in 2013 and built a life together over the next 13 years. They traveled, went on cruises, and spent time with family, including trips with his brother Joe and his wife, Guadalupe. They built a home together and continued to enjoy life side by side.

His second grandson, Joaquín, was born in 2025.

Richard passed away on April 30, 2026. He will be remembered as a loving father, husband, friend, and mentor to everyone who knew him.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 North Lamar, Austin, TX 78752, US, on May 7, 2026, at 1:00 pm.