John Mark Martin

John Mark Martin—husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle—passed away on October 11, 2026, following a long battle with chronic illness. He was 78 years old.

Born on May 5, 1948, to Forrest Marion Martin and Mary Elizabeth (Barnes) Martin in Seymour, Texas, John grew up on a family farm between Seymour and Red Springs. He played basketball at Goree High School, where he graduated in 1966, and spent his summers playing baseball in the Seymour summer league.

John went on to attend Abilene Christian College where he met Brenda Gale Marshall of Plainview, Texas. The two married on August 14, 1971. Earlier that year, John graduated from ACC with a Bachelor of Arts in Education. He later earned a Master of Arts in Education Administration from Texas Tech University.

John’s work history spanned several roles and communities. He taught school in Bangs and Rochester, Texas, served as Principal at Rochester, and taught at Lubbock Christian School. In addition to his time in education, his work included delivering snacks for Clover Club and running a landscaping business. Later in life, he proudly served as a crossing guard for Lubbock ISD for over a decade before retiring in 2024.

John loved the Lord first and foremost and remained steadfast in his faith to the very end. Over the years, he worshiped at several local Churches of Christ, most recently at the Wolfforth Church of Christ. John truly "never met a stranger." He enjoyed his local community and could often be found visiting with folks around town—whether at the bank, the mechanic, the grocery store, or the convenience store down the street.

In addition to his faith, John was an avid sports enthusiast. He closely followed all Texas Tech and Abilene Christian collegiate sports and took great joy in reporting the winning scores to his brothers and children.

John is survived by his wife of 55 years, Brenda; his children, Shawna Martin-Molina and her husband Daniel of Austin, and Jared Martin of Lubbock; his grandson, Brixton Molina; three brothers, Stephen "Chip" Martin of Anson, Philip Martin of Sugar Land, and David Martin of Fort Worth; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and nephew Caleb Martin.

Two services will be held to honor his life. The first will take place on Saturday, October 24, at 1:30 PM at the Seymour Church of Christ, officiated by his brother David under the direction of Archer Funeral Home in Seymour. A second service will be held on Sunday, October 25, at 4:30 PM at the Wolfforth Church of Christ, officiated by Ed Jones.