Roll Call Tribute

Dale Dean Martin
May 03, 1931 - December 10, 2021

Dale Dean Martin, age 90, passed away Friday, December 10, 2021, at Hendrick Hospice Care Center in Abilene, Texas.

He was born in Anthony, Kansas on May of 1931, to Buel and Essie Martin. His early childhood years were spent on the farm in Wakita, Oklahoma. He graduated from Kingsville High School in 1948, and Texas A & M University in 1953, where he served in the Corp of Cadets. He married the love of his life, Lillian Maresh, in July, 1952, at the First Methodist Church in San Angelo.

After college, he was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. He went on to work for Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, where he rose through the ranks, until moving to Sweetwater in 1968 to open Dale Martin Tire Co. He would go on to be involved with the GCR Tire Group of Texas, and open other stores in San Angelo and Brownwood.

Dale was a member of First United Methodist Church in Sweetwater. He served his community in numerous capacities as Chamber of Commerce president, was a Trustee of the Sweetwater Independent School District Board, served as a Commissioner for the City of Sweetwater, and was Chairman of the Board of the Sweetwater Enterprise for Economic Development. He was also active in creating the Nolan County Hospital District, helped raise funds for the City-County Library, and was involved with the Sweetwater Chuck Wagon Gang. In 2004, he was named Sweetwater’s Citizen of the Year.

His most important role was as a son, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, and family was the most important thing in the world to him. He is survived by his son, Mark Martin and wife, Sheila, of Sweetwater; daughter Kaye Rawlings and husband, Leon, of Abilene; and daughter Kim Lawrie and husband, Jeff, of Dallas. He is also survived by 3 granddaughters: Kristen Kovatch, and husband, Adam, Courtney Brooks and husband, Boyd, and Caitlin Clark, and husband, Cameron; and 4 grandsons: Nicholas, Christopher, Michael and Jacob Lawrie. He is also survived by 4 great-grandchildren, Carter and Carli Kovatch, and Martina and Bohdi Brooks, and 2 step-grandchildren, John Rawlings and Heather Reyes and their families. In addition, he is survived by 2 sisters-in-law, Mrs. Nell Martin and Mrs. Kathleen Taylor, numerous nieces and nephews, and a special friend, Mrs. Cora Freeman.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Lillian, his parents and a brother, Doyle Martin.

Dale and Lil enjoyed traveling the world, the United States in their motorhome and loved their home in Ruidoso, New Mexico. He loved life, and his was full and well-lived.

A Memorial and Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, at 2:00 at McCoy Chapel of Memories, Sweetwater, Texas, with Ryan Strebeck officiating. Visitation will be before and after the service.

The family requests memorials be made to Hendrick Hospice Care, PO Box 1922, Abilene, Texas 79604-1922; or the City-County Library, Sweetwater, Texas.

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