Roll Call Tribute

James Tillman Martin (JT)
December 4, 1927 - July 29, 2021

James Tillman Martin (JT) passed away on Thursday, July 29, 2021, at Advent Health Central Texas in Killeen.

Funeral services will be held at 4 pm on Tuesday, August 3, 2021, at First Street Church of Christ in Lampasas with a visitation an hour prior. Graveside services will be at 6 pm following the service at Dobeyville Cemetery in Burnet County.

JT was born December 4, 1927, in Amarillo, TX to James W. Martin and Mary Hodges Martin. The family, including his brothers Charles and Hodges, moved to Lampasas in 1941, where they lived on a ranch north of Lampasas. He graduated from Lampasas High School in 1944 then enrolled in Texas A&M in the school of engineering. He was a proud member of the Texas A&M Corps. The war interrupted his education and he enlisted in the US Navy in 1945, finishing basic training just as the war ended. He made two trips across the Pacific aboard the destroyer USS Buckley, serving as a machinist mate and gunner. After finishing his tour, he returned to Texas A&M to complete his Chemical Engineering degree, graduating in 1950.

When he visited home after returning to A&M, he noticed a girl he had been at school with years before. Immediately after graduation, he married Dorothy Lee Oakley of Lampasas and left for Nashville, TN to start his career with Dupont. While living there, his oldest two children, Lesa and Van were born. In 1953, he was transferred to Dupont headquarters in Wilmington, DE, where he lived for the next twenty years. His children Becky and James Eric were born in Delaware. He was active in the Elsmere Church of Christ, which became Cedars Church of Christ. He served as an elder, and was very interested in missions, taking a trip to Ghana in 1971.

In 1973, JT was transferred to Chattanooga, TN, where he worshipped at the Red Banks Church of Christ and served on the board of Boyd Buchannan Christian School. He retired from Dupont in 1980, after 30 years of service. In 1984, JT and Dorothy moved back to Lampasas in order to be closer to their aging parents. They built a house on a portion of the ranch where JT grew up and raised cattle and goats. In addition, JT served as the Lampasas County Septic System Inspector for over 20 years. He continued his passion for missions by working with students through the World Bible School and supporting the Sunset School of Preaching. He also served as an elder and a deacon at the First Street Church of Christ, as well as teaching many Bible classes.

In 2009, JT and Dorothy's home burned to the ground and they purchased a house in town. Until his death, he continued to read his Bible every day and loved attending services whenever possible. He loved playing 84, peaches, recording the rainfall amounts every day, and Sudoku. JT passed away Thursday, July 29, at Advent Health Central Texas after a brief bout with pneumonia. He is now rejoicing in Heaven.

JT was preceded in death by his parents, his oldest son, Lt. Col. Van Martin, US Army Retired, and his infant grandson, James Rugley Martin. Survivors include his beloved wife, Dorothy Oakley Martin; his daughter, Lesa Martin Sims, and husband, Arthur; his daughter-in-law, Catherine (Mrs. Van) Martin; his daughter, Becky Martin Knox and her husband, Vincent; his son, James Eric Martin, and wife, Sandy; 13 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Sunset School of Preaching or to World Bible School.

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