Martin "Marty" Armistead

Martin (“Marty”) Armistead, 78, of Round Rock, Texas, passed away peacefully on February 12, 2026. He is survived by his wife, Hatsuko Armistead, daughter, Kiyomi Armistead, his dog, Dixie Mae and his sisters Jeri Armistead and Michelle Sonnen. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science in Management Studies and retired from two careers, the first from the US Army, and the second from Raytheon.

I write this as a love letter to my father from his wife and surviving daughter. My father had three passions: family, travel and decorating for the holidays. His preference most of his life was to spend time with his family. Later, that family expanded to friends he met at work and during his travels.

My father loved to travel. His career in the military took him to Okinawa, Europe and Greece. His second career with Raytheon took him to places around the United States. Any place he went, he was always exploring. While he traveled a lot for work, the travel he loved most was taking cruises with his wife. He loved everything about a cruise and was enthusiastic about sharing his experiences and photos with anyone who was interested.

He LOVED the holidays. We can’t express how much he loved the holidays. He decorated for Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I believe he loved the holidays so much because even as he aged, he could still feel the magic of each holiday. He tried to make sure his family felt that magic too.

My father’s interests were diverse, they ranged from Nascar and Formula 1 racing, to puzzles, trying to figure out mysteries like what’s actually buried on Oak Island, space travel, discussing whether or not there really were Ancient Aliens, and politics. The common thread in all of his interests was learning. He loved to learn, encouraged everyone around him to learn, and never stopped trying to learn something new.

I wish I could capture in words what a wonderful, kind and loving man my father was. He was slow to criticize, even slower to anger. He was quiet when you first met him, but listened and remembered little details about people. He loved teasing and joking and that’s when people knew they were part of his extended family. While not outwardly emotional, he had a slight smile that would turn up when he was happy to see someone and they got his jokes.

I think this quote encapsulates my father the best: A kind man is strong enough to show tenderness and secure enough to respect others. Gentleness isn’t weakness – it’s the quiet power of a man who chooses compassion over ego. The true measure of a man is how he treats those who can do nothing for him. My father was kind to everyone he met. He always had a smile and greeting for a friend or stranger.

A visitation will be held at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Homes and Cremation Services, located at 5416 Parkcrest Drive, Austin, TX 78731, on March 6, 2026, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

The funeral service will take place at the same venue on March 7, 2026, beginning at 10:30 am.