Martin L Lee

Martin L. Lee passed away peacefully with his family by his side on December 29, 2023, in Austin, Texas. The eldest of three, born to Martin Lee Sr. and Maria Luna Lee on April 6, 1920, in Jimenez, Chihuahua Mexico.

His family moved to Parral, Chihuahua shortly after his birth where he was raised and attended school. Parral was a mining and ranching town, Martin began working in distribution at the early age of 16 to help his family. This would be his introduction to the business world. After completing his ‘educacion media superior’ the Lee family moved to Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua Mexico where Martin was able to expand his knowledge and skills in business management. His mother was extremely influential in his career, which included taking pride in appearance. As a young man, Mr. Lee was well known for his dapper look, always neat and stylishly dressed, till the end he never left home without donning his suit and fedora hat. Eventually, Martin would move to El Paso, Texas for a job with National Life Insurance, he also dabbled in real estate, worked as a General Manager of the Mesa Inn Hotel in El Paso, and finally his professional achievements led him to become self-employed as an Accountant/Bookkeeper for several businesses. He worked until the ripe age of 100, completing his client's bookkeeping, payroll, and submitting IRS forms all by hand until his retirement in October of 2020.

While in El Paso, Martin would travel back to see his family in Ciudad Juarez, and in 1973 he met his future wife Lala Del Rivero. After a few years of courting, they married in 1976 in Juarez. Lala then moved to El Paso with her new love, and they started their family. Martin and Lala lived happily in El Paso, Texas for 47 years until December 2019, when they decided to relocate to Austin, Texas to be closer to his family.

Mr. Lee’s passion for learning never ended. He loved to read anything, especially the newspaper and it didn’t matter which one, he would read them all. He would also find the word puzzles in every newspaper or magazine he picked up, and after retiring he would complete a word puzzle book every week (up until his hospitalization in November 2023). An animal admirer by heart he always harped on being respectful towards all forms of life, which is why you would often find a charismatic cockatiel bird on his shoulder or a loyal canine resting by his side. He enjoyed music, especially trios like Los Tres Aces, or Trio Los Panchos. He would have music on in the background while working and/or reading. If he wasn’t listening to music he liked to watch the oldies but goodies like Gunsmoke, The Rifleman, and the original Lone Ranger (1949). Mr. Lee had a very similar strict moral code as the Lone Ranger character; he was respectful, truthful, honorable, resilient, disciplined, and most of all... kind. People would often ask what his secret was to living such a long full life, and he would respond with “I don’t eat red meat or pork, I don’t drink alcohol, and I’ve never smoked”, and yes while this is all true he also keep himself physically and mentally in good health.

A devoted spouse, father, and grandfather, Martin is survived by his wife Lala, his son, Martin Jr and wife Alicia, and grandson Martin Nicholas Lee “his champion”, all of Austin, Texas. Martin was genuinely a good-natured, gracious, and caring man and will be truly missed.

A visitation for Martin will be held Saturday, January 6, 2024 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Weed-Corley-Fish South Chapel, 2620 South Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78704.