Richard Charles Martin

Born in Stephenville, Texas in 1932, Richard was graduated from Polytechnic High School in Fort Worth and Arlington State Junior College in Arlington, Texas. He was recruited to play football at the University of Florida, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity and a Lt. Col. in ROTC. He was graduated from UF with a BS in Business Administration and was a proud Gator and lifetime member of the UF Letterman’s Association.

Richard went on to serve in the U.S. Army, attending the Army Intelligence School and Army Surface-to-Air Missile School. He was sports officer at Fort Bliss and played Army service football. He was honorably discharged in 1958 with the rank of First Lieutenant.

Richard joined American National Bank of Jacksonville in 1959 as a trainee and faithfully served that organization for the next 40 years. He was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in 1991, and in 1994 was elected Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors. American National was sold to SouthTrust in 1998, and Richard was elected Chairman of the Board for SouthTrust Bank of Northeast Florida, a position he held until December 2003. In April 2004 he was elected to the Board of Directors of American Enterprise Bank, and he held that position, also serving as Senior Vice President, until retiring in 2017. Professionally, Richard served as President of the Florida Bankers Association, President of the Association of Military Banks of America, and was appointed by the State Legislature to serve as Chairman of the Housing and Finance Corporation for the State of Florida.

Richard was an esteemed community leader and served Jacksonville in multiple roles. He was Chairman of the Tournament Players Championship (formerly the Greater Jacksonville Open) in 1971, serving as President of TPC’s Honorable Company of Past Chairmen (Redcoats). He loved promoting the Tournament and its philanthropic efforts. He was passionate about the City Rescue Mission and served on its Board of Directors for 15 years, two terms as Chair. He served as President of the Rotary Club of South Jacksonville, on the Board of Trustees for the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, Honorary Member of the Jacksonville Zoological Society Board of Directors, Chair of the Jacksonville Area Planning Board, Chair of Keep Jacksonville Beautiful, Member of the Homebuilders of Northeast Florida Board of Directors, member of Safari Club International, Chair of the Board of Governors for the University Club and member of the San Jose Country Club Board of Directors.

Richard was known for his deep love of people, a trait that served him well in both his professional and community life. “Everyone’s favorite banker,” Richard enjoyed nothing better than building relationships and helping visionary business leaders, as he once commented, “to fulfill their dreams.” He was particularly known for his strength in attracting strong leaders to key roles, and this was evident in his professional as well as volunteer life, most notably in the search for rector at St. Peter’s Church in the early ‘80s and for director of City Rescue Mission in 2014.

Wherever he went, Richard knew someone. Whether colleagues, friends or family, shared conversations and laughter were a joy to him, and he cared passionately about each person’s life. He had a heart as big as his native Texas.

Richard loved the outdoors and was an avid hunter, pursuing both birds and big game from South Georgia to Africa to Alaska to South America. He hunted with many friends and colleagues, but loved most hunting alongside his late father-in-law, Tillman Cavert Jr., his son and grandsons. He also enjoyed golf, skiing, hiking and other outdoor pursuits.

Most importantly, Richard was a man of deep faith. Raised as a devout member of the Church of Christ, his faith journey took off with the Charismatic Renewal in the 1970s. He walked closely with his Savior and lived what he believed. His great integrity, strong character and deep wisdom were born out of his love for Jesus. He led his family in that faith, and he served in both servant and leadership roles in several churches in Jacksonville through the years. In the latter part of his life, he was a member of the Anglican Church of North America and supported wholeheartedly the Anglican Renewal. His wife and children remember him most fondly for his strong walk with Christ and his tender prayers. This was his greatest legacy, and they have no doubt he is with his Savior today.

Richard was married for 54 years to Ray Cavert Martin of Jacksonville. He is survived by his devoted wife; daughter Grace and her children Johnson, Josephine and Richard; son Charles (Jr.), wife Christy and their three boys, Charlie (III), John Tillman and Rives; daughter Annie (Michael Francis); and daughter Berrylin (Anthony Mangin) and their son Michael. He has been joyfully reunited in heaven with his beloved daughter Abbie, his parents Lambert and Lora Martin of Stephenville, Texas, and his brother Donald.

An outdoor service will be held at Oaklawn Cemetery at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 27, 2021. The family tentatively plans to receive friends the prior evening in the Oaklawn Chapel. We invite you to leave your memories of Richard below. Donations in Richard’s name can be made to City Rescue Mission, 426 McDuff Ave. S., Jacksonville, Florida 32254, crmjax.org.