Howard G. "Tiny" Martin

He was born in Denver on January 7, 1943, to Howson and Gertrude Martin.

He was a beloved only child who loved his dog, dancing, sports, and cutting up. If you knew Tiny at any point in his life, you would agree with that last part. He would always make a face when you were trying to take a halfway serious picture, and he had a big, genuine smile and a ready laugh.

After graduating Catholic school, he played football for Adams State in Colorado, before joining the Air Force. He then played football for the Berlin Bears, out of Ramstein Air Force Base in Berlin, Germany. As you might guess, Tiny’s nickname was an ironic one where even in his childhood, his Colorado and Kansas kin called him “Pee Wee.” Later on, when people met him, they were often struck by how soft spoken he was, especially for being such an imposing figure, tall and broad shouldered.

In Berlin, he met his future wife, Evelyne. Together, they moved back to the states, raised a family of four children, eventually settling in Texas. Tiny was a chemical plant operator for over 30 years at the Lyondellbasell Bayport site. After retirement, he loved to stay in touch, often meeting fellow retirees for lunch. He and Evelyne also traveled the world on numerous trips and cruises, always enjoying dressing up, meeting new people, and sightseeing.

Tiny loved jazz, something he likely inherited from his father, a jazz drummer in the Denver club scene. He also loved good lemonade, catfish with the “right” kind of breading, reading Clive Cussler, taking bad pictures, and endless road trips with giant bags of candy.

His love of football continued off the field, and he was a proud original Houston Texans season ticket holder. Tiny could be found every Sunday supporting the Texans, either at the stadium or watching the game from his big chair at home. He was a wonderful person to sit beside at the game, because he recognized every little thing that went on, even before it was announced. When he occasionally gave tickets to family members or friends, people in the section would always ask where Tiny was, because he was on a first name basis with everyone who sat in his area.

He stayed active well into his later years, playing pickleball and bowling. He made many friends, and never met a stranger.

Tiny is survived by his wife, Evelyne, and his children, Bettina, Monika, Yvonne (Willie), and Howard (Dea), all of the Houston area. He loved spending time with his seven grandchildren - Michael, Theresa, Danielle (Daniel), Ross, Miles, Dana, and Hailey, and his great-grandchildren, Leila and Silas. He also leaves behind many beloved Colorado and Kansas relatives and memories. We will miss you, Grandaddy.