Thomas B Martin

Thomas Baxter Martin, age 68, Leawood, Kansas, died September 23, 2014. Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. Friday, September 26, at Village Presbyterian Church. Friends may call at 5:30-8:00 p.m., Thursday, September 25 at Mount Moriah & Freeman Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Ronald McDonald House of Kansas City, MOCSA, or the American Red Cross.

Tom was born August 15, 1946 in Kansas City, Missouri. He was preceded in death by his mother, Betty Throckmorten Martin, and his father, William Thomas Martin. Survivors include his wife, Katherine Beasley Martin; his daughter, Katherine Michelle Raab and her husband Scott; his son Thomas Bradley Martin and his wife Shana.

Tom and Kay had a love of travel and spending time with friends and family. Tom was well known for his abundant wit and larger than life personality. He was a dedicated fan of the Chiefs, Royals, and Jayhawks, enjoying some seasons more than others. He was devoted to his family, recently celebrating 40 years of marriage. Within the last year, Tom was able to top off his bucket list by walking his daughter down the aisle and four months later celebrating the marriage of his son and his beautiful bride last year.

Tom was an active member of the Kansas City community and dedicated much of his time to civic organizations such as the Rotary Club #13, Plaza Club, the Breakfast Club, Society of Fellows of the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, the Madison Council of the Library of Congress, the boards of the American Red Cross, the ALS Association, and MOCSA among others. He was a graduate of Shawnee Mission East and Cornell College. He went on to earn his MBA from Rockhurst College, eventually serving as an adjunct professor in the business school there. Tom began his career with the family business Milbank Manufacturing and later applied his human resources expertise to several other companies in the Kansas City area. Tom served in the U.S. Army from 1968 until 1970, including service with the First Air Cavalry during the War in Vietnam.