Charles Ellis Martin

Charles Ellis Martin, 89, of Houston, Texas, beloved father, grandfather, and great grandfather went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, July 30th, 2016. He is the father of 8 children, the grandfather of 21 children, and the great grandfather of 39 children. He was preceded in death by three wives, his mother and father, one sister, one granddaughter, one great granddaughter. He is also survived by 1 younger sister, Mary Alice Hatcher of Lucedale, Mississippi.

Charlie was born on May 20, 1927 in Shubuta, Mississippi to the parents of Ellis Otto Martin and Alice Carolyn (Albritton) Martin. With the exception of his early childhood years, he grew up in Lucedale, Mississippi.

After graduating from high school at 16, he completed 2 years of college. While in college he was enrolled in the U.S. Navy's “V5” program. He was to advance to pilot training after completing the education requirements. A few weeks after turning 18 he made the decision to end his enrollment in the V5 program and go on active duty as an enlisted man in the U.S. Navy. Two months after going on active duty, the Japanese formally surrendered, ending WW2. He was discharged the following year.

He married Betty Jean Berry in Lucedale, Mississippi in Nov. 1946. They had two sons, Charles Ellis Martin, Jr. and Jene Byron by Dec. 26, 1949. While in the hospital for Jene Byron's birth, his wife Jean died from complications that arose after childbirth. He married Geraldine Johnson from Ville Platte, Louisiana in 1951 and 6 children were born from their union, Carol Dean, John David, James Kirby, Jerrie Lynn, Peter Joseph, and Sharon. They were married for 36 yrs., when she passed away in 1987, 3yrs. after his retirement at age 57.

He married Margaret Lorraine Farkas of Houston, Texas in 1992 and they were married for 22 yrs. when she passed away in 2014.

Charlie worked for the same company his entire life. He started out working in the oilfield on a seismograph crew for Atlantic Refining Company, searching for places to drill for oil. He later moved into the office and worked as a Geophysicist for the remainder of his working career, retiring from Arco in 1984. His early working career was spent working in various locations throughout Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. His office career was mainly spent in Houston, starting in 1960. He was a good provider for his family his entire life.

Charlie became a “born again” Christian in Scott, Louisiana in 1958 and spent the rest of his life serving the Lord in many capacities. He was a wonderful Godly role model for his family, a gifted teacher of the Bible, and a “soul winner”, who genuinely loved people. Many people will be in Heaven one day as a direct result of his witness to them. In the latter part of his life he traveled to a number of foreign countries showing “The Jesus Film” to those who had never heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's been said that there are two kinds of people in this world, givers and takers. Charlie was definitely a giver, a selfless man, always putting others first.

His family will miss him, but we know where he is, and who he is with, and that what he is now experiencing with our God, and the loved ones that have gone on before him, is beyond anything we can even imagine.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 4, 2016 at Forest Park East Funeral Home. A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, August 5, 2016 at 12:30 p.m. with interment to follow in Forest Park East Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sagemont Church designated to Missions Ministry.