Patrick Stephen Martin Jr.

Patrick spent more than three decades in the financial services industry. In 2006, he joined TAG Resources as an equity partner and served as Senior Vice President of Sales for fourteen years. During his tenure, he played a key role in helping TAG become one of the nation’s leading retirement services companies, as the firm pioneered the aggregation of small employers to make 401(k) plans accessible and affordable.

Known for his calm demeanor, easy smile, slow talking, and genuine approach, he built strong relationships with brokers and colleagues alike, helping both his clients and their customers succeed. After retiring from TAG, it was natural for Patrick to use these same attributes and skills in building his property investment company, PMartinProperties, LLC.

Born April 29, 1967, in Houston, Texas, Patrick moved to Knoxville in 1981 before his ninth-grade year to live with his grandparents. He enrolled at the Webb School of Knoxville, where he forged lifelong friendships. It was also at Webb that Patrick met Patricia Ayres, the love of his life. They shared the next forty years together—dating for six and married for thirty-four.

Patrick graduated from Webb in 1985 and went on to the University of Tennessee, where he was an active member of Sigma Chi fraternity. After an extended but joyful college career, he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1990.

Patrick married Patricia in October 1991, and together they built the great joy of his life—their family. They welcomed three children: Ellie, Stephen, and Emma. Patrick was a deeply present and proud father, guiding his children with love and watching with pride as they came of age and embarked on their own careers.

His family was the heart of Patrick’s world. Whether watching sunsets at the beach, cruising around Fort Loudon Lake on his beloved Grady-White boat, or tailgating before Tennessee football games, togetherness defined the Martin household.

Patrick also cultivated deep and lasting friendships at every stop along the way. He spoke regularly with many of his high school and college friends including his forever friends Scott Atkins, Tom Hughes, Hugh Nystrom, John Osborne, Morgan Thomas, and Todd Stamper. He would also befriend a group of characters known as the Men of the Woods—friends bound by a love of the outdoors, Thursday night gatherings, cold beers, and an annual pilgrimage to the peaceful waters of one of his favorite places in the world, Lake Santeetlah. And then there were the friends he saw nearly every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning during what Patrick insisted were rigorous workouts, but leaned more towards a coffee club. Meaningful friendships were an important and constant part of his life.

Patrick also found profound belonging in the loving Ayres family, embracing Patricia’s parents, siblings, their spouses, and extended family as his own. These relationships were a source of immense strength, joy, and mutual love throughout his life.

Patrick loved sunsets, boating, smoking the perfect turkey or pork butt, fishing, live music, Hilton Head Island, Tennessee football, how the mountains turned blue on a super-cold can of Coors Light, and a quiet warm cat snuggled up on his lap.

Patrick will be remembered as loyal, kind, humble, steady, affable, adventurous, thoughtful, and deeply loving—a man who lived fully and left behind a legacy of family, friendship, and generosity of spirit.

Patrick was preceded in death by his mother Elizabeth “Betty” Tucker Martin. He is survived by his wife of 34 years Patricia “Tricia” Ayres Martin and their children Elizabeth “Ellie” Martin, Patrick “Stephen” Martin III, Murray “Emma” Martin, his in-laws Tom and Murray Ayres, brothers- and sisters-in-laws Mike and Martha Ayres, Joe and Carole Ayres, Stephen and Tami Ayres and their extended families, his half sister Evans Martin Boyd and his beloved Aunt Mary Alice Tucker and cousins Tuck and Alice Tucker, and all the Tuckers, Beamans, and Tates.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church on Thursday, December 18th, at 4:00 pm, with Rev. Mark Lampley and Dr. Jay Howell officiating. A Reception will immediately follow at Cherokee Country Club.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Sequoyah Hills Presbyterian Church, Lake Santeetlah Preservation Group Inc., Helen Ross McNabb Foundation, and Young-Williams Animal Center.