Claude F. Martin

Claude F. Martin, 91, our dear husband and father, slipped ever so peacefully from this life on Monday, April 12, 2010, in a Bryan, Texas hospital, finally getting a deserved rest. He had a very good, full, well-lived life.

Claude was born on a farm near Pratt, Kansas, on Oct. 19,1918, the fourth of five children. He went to school in the Glendale community and the entire family worked hard to make the farm successful. He was graduated from The University of Kansas in 1943 and was employed by Shell Oil Company his entire career of thirty-seven years as a petroleum engineer. Later he recruited on college campuses in addition to his other assignments. In the last years of his career he worked as the land man in Alaska during the development of the Alaska pipeline to reconcile the interests of the federal and state governments with those of the oil company, the environmentalists, and the Alaska natives. He married Margaret Ann Cox in 1946 and they had two children, Claudia and Michael. In 1977, he married Lavon McCormick and they moved to Chappell Hill, Texas in 1979 where they lived on a beautiful hill surrounded by green pastures and many gardens. After retiring in 1982, Claude and Lavon enjoyed traveling throughout this country and Canada.

His special passion was making plants grow, and beautified the home property by planting trees and antique roses. He loved his roses, bluebonnets, flower beds and gardens. His other love was raising and showing Arabian horses. At age seventy-eight, he realized a lifelong dream, obtaining his pilot’s license and building his own plane, a RANS S-6 Coyote. He passed on his love for nature and the outdoors to everyone. He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather, as well as mentor, cheerleader, and advisor on all things. He will be missed by all that knew him.

The family would like to especially thank the wonderful staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Rehab Center in Bryan, Texas and Brazos Valley Hospice who lovingly cared for him and comforted his family.

Claude was preceded in death by his parents, W. Scott and Louise K. Martin, brothers Elmore L., Roy S., and Merle G. Martin. He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Lavon, a daughter Claudia Baird of Weatherford, Texas, son Michael Martin and wife Vangie of Kerrville, Texas, two grandsons, Cliff and Ryan, sister Kathryn Aldis of Kansas City, Kansas, step-daughters Donna McCormick and husband Gregory Sims of Lawrence, Kansas, and Carey McCormick of Wichita, Kansas.

Graveside services were held April 16, 2010 at Highland Cemetery in Minneapolis, Kansas.

Local arrangements were by Brenham Memorial Chapel, 2300 Stringer St., Brenham, TX. 979.836.3611 www.brenham-memorial-chapel.com