Joseph Leon Martin Jr.

March 27, 1951-August 20, 2024

Joseph (Joe) lived a life in which he loved greatly and was greatly loved. As we mourn him we also celebrate his healing and return to wholeness.

Joe was born in Fort Deposit, Alabama. He was the first born child of Joe and Addie Martin. He and his parents relocated to Opp, Alabama and he was blessed with a sister, Jan. Early in the 1960s the family moved to Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Joe attended Choctawhatchee High School where he played trumpet in the marching band, graduating with the class of ’69. Joe received his bachelor degree in 1976 from Florida State University (FSU) where he studied music education and continued playing the trumpet. Upon graduating from FSU he returned to Fort Walton Beach and joined a local cover band called Classic Rock. Over the next six or seven years he continued making music in Northwest Florida and surrounding areas.

In 1978, during a stint playing at Ramada’s Buccaneer lounge Joe was introduced to a Florida State coed named Lil Goldsmith. They were married in 1981 and continued to live in Fort Walton Beach where he began a career teaching algebra at Meigs Junior High School and she began a career as an accountant. In 1987 they were blessed with a son, Joseph Leon Martin, III, becoming known to all as Trey. Joe continued teaching moving from Meigs to Choctawhatchee High School. In 1993 Joe and Lil were additionally blessed with a daughter they named Julia Rose. Soon after, they moved their family to Montgomery, Alabama to pursue new opportunities. The family became members of Landmark Church where Joe and Lil remain members through today. During the first years in Montgomery Joe with his friend Jay Massey formed a company, Coco Designs that created websites. Joe, a self-taught computer programmer loved his new career and later joined the State of Alabama working for the Division of Labor as a computer programmer/web designer. After fifteen years Joe retired in 2018 to spend his time enjoying his hobbies and to travel the USA and beyond with his wife, Lil. Together they traveled the western states, New England states, Italy and Ireland.

Joe loved his hobbies. He was a musician, carpenter, photographer, surfer, sailor, tennis player, mountain biker, and graphic designer. He loved movies, music and gaming. He was a small group leader at Landmark and loved his family and friends most of all.

Joe was an intelligent, gentle, introspective man who dreamed of a world at peace. He was an idealist, lover of art, and a mentor to his children and wife. He is survived by his wife Lillian, his son, Trey and Trey’s wife, Chelsei and his daughter, Julia along with his sister and brother-in-law, Jan and Dana Fusco.

A celebration of life with be held on Monday, August 26, 2024 at Landmark Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Visitation will be at 11 am followed by a service at 12:30 with a reception for friends and family following. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to The Shed, (theshedinc.org) a non-profit organization whose purpose is to give assistance in recovery to those men overcoming addictions.