Dorothy Hyde Martin

Dorothy Ann Hyde Martin passed from this life on September 15, 2021 following the effects of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. She was the daughter of Eliese (Wildman) and U. A. Hyde, born in San Antonio, Texas, October 28, 1937 at Santa Rosa Hospital. Dorothy was married to Jerry E. Martin and they were the parents of two children; daughter, Charisa Lynn Martin and son, Russell Edward Martin.

Her children were the joys and purpose of her life. Though reared in a home with only one parent, Risa and Russ were well-rounded, balanced, healthy and happy children. Dorothy, as a single parent, saw to it that her children had every opportunity possible, which was not always easy. She helped them reach maturity with a full sense of being, loved and worthwhile. When they reached adulthood, they provided her with precious treasures beyond measure, her grandchildren. Charisa, the parent of Brandon Phillip Martin-Anderson of San Juan County, Washington; Adrienne Hillary Martin-Anderson of Eugene, Oregon; and Elizabeth Alexandra (Martin-Anderson) Light, of Bothell, Washington. Russell and Tracy (Cobos) Martin, the parents of Amanda Jean, Natasha Emily, Emma Victoria, Anna Kathleen, and Sofia Ann Martin of Round Rock, Texas.

It was with a great amount of happiness that Dorothy and her siblings: sister, Darleen Frost (1935-1997) and brother, Donald Ira Hyde (1947), lived to enjoy the celebration of their parents 50th wedding anniversary in 1984 in Austin, Texas. In her father, she admired his wit, intelligence, and caring. In her mother, she admired her steadfastness, honesty, and vulnerability.

To the end of her life, Dorothy’s wide circle of friends included elementary school chums in Kilgore, Texas; McCallum high school classmates in Austin, Texas; and many friends of all ages that she met in volunteer work with numerous organizations and co-workers from places of employment.

In her working career, her last position was that of Coordinator of Volunteer Services at Travis State School, a home for people with mental retardation. It was a constant delight to be able to match some of the most fragile members of society with some of the most generous members of our community, who gave their time, interest, and money to make the lives of the residents as full and as meaningful as they possibly could. Dorothy became a Certified Administrator of Volunteer Services in 1973.

The devastating effects of a near fatal car crash in 1977 ended her working career. After many painful years recovering from her life-threatening injuries, she developed new interests in writing, reading, genealogy, and traveling to whatever extent possible. With the passage of time, she was able to enter into volunteer activities. Dorothy chaired the Travis State School Volunteer Services Council; gave assistance to Bert Kruger Smith and Willie Kocurek while they were co-founding Austin Groups for the Elderly (AGE) and served on the original Board of Directors; participated in many classes of the Lifetime Learning Institute and later joined the Advisory Council in 1991 and became the Director of the Institute in 2007.

In addition to reading and writing, Dorothy’s hobbies included photography and collecting old books specializing in children’s, black history, the Civil War, and Texas authors. She also enjoyed Scrapbooking, putting pictures and stories together. Her love of all American music (1942-1992) lent itself to a large collection of records and tapes. She had great fun discovering unknown relatives and developing lasting connections to them following trips to Georgia, Missouri and parts of Texas in search of family history.

Following open heart surgery with complications in 2011 and years of recovery, Dorothy was able to publish her first novel in 2014, The Old Blue Hen’s Chickens, at the age of 77 years.

From her days as a single parent, Dorothy became active in Parents Without Partners, Inc. when it was just beginning in Austin and later served as Regional Director, establishing chapters throughout the state of Texas. A small group of friends, who were young mothers together sharing those frightening days and concerns, always remained close when they became grandparents and great-grandparents sharing many milestones in life. Pat, Hazel, Kay, Diana, Myrna, and Myra were often traveling companions and seekers of beauty on great wildflower hunts and other places of interest in the great state of Texas and elsewhere. She and former neighbor, Peggy, of Denver, Colorado, made the Grand Tour of Europe.

In a life filled with many challenges, Dorothy’s was also a life filled with great love for and from family members, relatives, friends, and co-workers. It was a good life.

Dorothy was predeceased by her parents, U. A. and Eliese Hyde, her sister, Darleen Frost and her nephew, Clayton Jack Frost. She is survived by her daughter, Charisa Martin Cairn, and wife Carol Brozman of Ridgefield, Washington and her son, Russell, and wife, Tracy Martin and her beloved grandchildren Amanda, Natasha, Emma, Anna, and Sofia Martin; Brandon, Adrienne, and Elizabeth; brother Don Hyde, and wife, Maureen of Florence, Italy; nephew Samuel Dylan Hyde, of New York, New York; nieces Allyson Hines, Paige Frost, and, grand-nephew and niece: Davian and Kaylie Frost of Austin, Texas.

A graveside service will be held at the Austin Memorial Park Cemetery, 2800 Hancock Drive, Austin, Texas, on Monday, September 20, 2021 at 10:30 am. Please come and share your memories and sign the guest book.