Aubrey Dickson Martin Jr.

Dick, as he was called, was born in Dothan, Alabama on the 9th of January 1946 to Robbie and Aubrey, but he joined the ranks of Texan when his family moved to Houston in 1950.

Before attending law school and pursuing his life-long passion in the law, he was somewhat of a celebrity. Those trumpet lessons his mother made him take as a youngster paid off when Roy Head and The Traits lost their trumpet player and saw Dick playing with his high school band, The Gentrys. Dick graduated from Lee High School in 1964 and then joined Roy Head and The Traits and proceeded to play the trumpet on “Treat Her Right” which reached number 2 on the Billboard Charts in October of 1965. He even met the Beatles when The Traits opened for them at Shea Stadium. Playing with The Traits afforded him the ability to obtain his undergraduate degree from Houston Baptist University in 1968.

He decided on a career change and went to law school, during which time he worked full time at Bank of the Southwest. He graduated from the University of Houston Law Center with his JD in 1972 and never looked back. He loved the law, and if you asked him why he worked so hard, he simply said, “I love what I do.” He truly did. Being an eagle scout, he also loved hunting and fishing and just being out in nature. That love of fishing led to ownership of 26 boats over his lifetime; some would refer to that as 25 too many. In his later years, he spent many weekends at the ranch in Frelsburg, Texas. The favorite part of his week was leaving a tad early on Friday so he could go out and see what animals had popped in on his game cameras over the week.

But what he truly loved about all of those activities was that it gave him time with his family. He loves and leaves behind his wife, Mary Chavanne-Martin of Houston, and his two sons, Michael Martin of Brenham and David Martin of Houston. He was a truly selfless husband and father, and his family will miss him dearly.

He was predeceased by his parents; his wife and mother of his sons, Lawanda Connally Martin; his parents-in-law, Harry and Hazel Chavanne; and his brother-in-law, David Chavanne. He is also survived by sisters and brothers-in-law, Claire and Oscar Turner, Jeannie and Tim McGann, Wendy Chavanne and numerous nieces and nephews.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock in the afternoon until half-past seven o’clock in the evening on Wednesday, the 10th of November, at Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

The memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Thursday, the 11th of November, in the sanctuary of South Main Baptist Church, 4100 Main Street in Midtown Houston, where Dr. Steve Wells, Senior Pastor, is to officiate. Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the adjacent fellowship hall.

Prior to the service, the family will have gathered for a private interment at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, and for those desiring, contributions in Dick’s memory may be directed to the South Main Baptist Foundation, 4100 Main St., Houston, Texas 77002; the Volunteer Services Council for Brenham State School, 4001 State Highway 36 South, Brenham, Texas 77833; or to the charity of one’s choice.