Walter G. Martin

Our loving Father, Walter G. Martin, departed from us on December 12, 2016. He was born in Hutto, Texas on January 8, 1923. He met our Mother, Dorothy Mae Whiteley, when they were in the fourth grade and fell in love with her when they were 12 years old. They married after graduating from high school. Mother and Daddy had 74 wonderful years of marriage!

Daddy’s mechanical skills showed up very early in life. He loved to take things apart and rebuild them. Our Grandmother told us that Daddy would take everything apart, anything from the vacuum cleaner to their Model T car, and put them back together. Everything still worked after that! Daddy played the violin in the Hutto High School orchestra. He graduated with the top grades of any boy in the high school. After high school, he attended college before being drafted into the Army Air Corps. He was a draftsman with the rank of Sergeant. After World War II, Daddy finished college at the University of Texas in Austin and graduated with a mechanical engineering degree in 1949. Upon graduating, he briefly worked for the Texas State Health Department. His main assignment was to find what was causing the contaminated water in Temple at the time. He traced it back to a West Texas mining storage unit that was leaking into the water supply. Our family moved to Rockdale, Texas in 1952, where Daddy was an engineer for Alcoa on two major projects – laying a brick floor under the “Pots” and solving the problem of moving the bauxite to its proper place, which involved designing a type of conveyor belt. At the end of the two projects, he was asked to become the Safety Director for Alcoa. He served in this capacity for 16 years. Daddy was very involved in the Rockdale Church of Christ, leading the singing on many occasions. He was also very involved in his girls’ school activities – going to football games, sometimes working in the concession stand; being a chaperon for dances; helping with science projects and math. Daddy loved watching and listening to football. He was in charge of the neighborhood’s TV replacement bulbs club. He would order replacement bulbs to have on hand for the club as needed, so he would repair our TV when needed. While working as Safety Director for Alcoa, the Boy Scouts Club would come to him for their Safety Merit Badge Test.

Daddy became the Texas State Health Department’s first Director of Occupational Safety in 1967, which moved the family to Austin. He retired in 1985.

Some of the hobbies he enjoyed were helping our Mother with her oil painting and making stained glass projects, of which there are several in his house. The hobby he enjoyed the most was building and flying remote controlled airplanes. He belonged to a “flying club” where he would take his airplanes and fly them.

Daddy is preceded in death by the love of his life, Dorothy Martin; his parents, Woodie Lewallen and husband, Bill Lewallen; Father, Walter G. (Gid) Martin; and brother, Bob Martin. He is survived by his 3 daughters: Elaine Green and husband T.C. Green, Bonnie Horner and husband Tommy Horner, Cathy Mayes and husband Tom Mayes; 6 grandchildren: Kevin Green and wife Alicia Green, Chris Horner and wife Raina Horner, Matthew Horner, Paul Roe, Chad Mayes and wife, Rebecca Mayes, and Cathy R. Mayes. He is also survived by 13 great grandchildren: Connor Green, Niall Green, Lana Green, Cade Horner, Ryland Horner, Maylee Horner, Layton Horner, Alyssa Horner, Harley Hegar, Kyley Hegar, Maddi Evers, Jeremy Mayes, and Corey Mayes. Daddy is also survived by 1 great-great-granddaughter, Gracie-Ann Hamilton.

Daddy’s “girls” would like to thank grandson, Paul, for his devotion to his grandparents – living with them which made it possible for them to be able to stay in their home for their last 20 years.

Daddy is now reunited with our Mother in heaven. He is being welcomed into the arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May they rest in peace for eternity!