Adzie Earl Mr. Martin, Jr

SMSgt Adzie Earl 'Tony' Martin, Jr, passed away at home in Garland, Texas on March 29, 2014 at the age of 79. Tony was the youngest of six children born to Minnie Bell Randle Martin and Adzie Earl Martin. He was born on July 21, 1934 in Ansonville, North Carolina. Tony grew up on the farm and on the golf course. He was a caddy as a young boy. His love of golf stayed with him throughout his life, and sustained him through many situations. He was anxious to join the Air Force at age 16, so he lied about his age when he enrolled July 26, 1951. When the Air Force discovered his true age, he had passed Basic Training, so they let him stay. They gave him a long and adventurous career that spanned many decades and countries. Tony's first duty assignment was Frankfurt, Germany. He was there for 3 1/2 years. He met a young Fraulein named Marion Ingrid Schard. They practiced speaking each others' language together. Marion's mother, Anna, told Tony if he was truly interested in her daughter, he would come back after she turned 18. In 1955 Tony was assigned to Korea for a year, and then went to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He did return for Marion, and they were married April 14, 1957. Tony spent 1959 in Thule, Greenland, while Marion had to stay in Myrtle Beach. Their next assignment was Torrejon, Spain. They spent nearly ten happy years in Spain, making lifelong friends, traveling Europe, and appreciating fine wine. Their first son, Anthony, was born in Madrid 1967. They returned to the States, stationed in Holloman, New Mexico, where their second son, Brandon, was born in 1970. (They liked to say they were naming their children alphabetically, but then decided to stop after two.) They returned to Europe, living two years in Reykjavik, Iceland, back to Clovis, New Mexico for a year, then four years in Aviano, Italy. Tony loved being in Europe, traveling with his young sons, and being near Marion's family. Tony volunteered for overseas assignments. He enjoyed living in and learning about other cultures, which was remarkable given his humble, farm boy background. Tony's last assignment was at snowy Loring AFB Maine. He officially retired from the Air Force in July 1979. The family moved to Garland, Texas where Tony was Plant Manager for Thermonetics, which maintained the Power Plant and Central Energy Plant for the University of Texas at Dallas. He excelled in civilian life just as he did in the Air Force. He retired for a second time in 2007 as Regional Manager from the company, which had become WinSam. Tony had always been an involved father, and after retirement was able to spend even more time with his beloved grandchildren. Tony is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Mildred Wagner, and brothers Roy Martin and Joe Frank Martin. He is survived by his wife of nearly 57 years, Marion Ingrid Martin; his sisters Betty Lou Beachum and Mary Nell Baldwin; his sons Anthony Richard Martin and Brandon Andrew Martin; and his grandchildren Brandon Andrew Martin, Jr; Anna Franziska Martin; Colin Oliver Martin; Henley Cheyenne Martin; and Rian Adzie Martin. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation http://www.pdf.org/fund_memdon or the Wounded Warrior Project http://goo.gl/VSl0F . Visitation is scheduled from 9:00 am to 11:00 am on Monday, April 7th with the funeral service at 11:00 am at Williams Funeral Directors, 1600 S. Garland Ave., Garland, Texas. Interment will follow at 1:30 pm on the same day at DFW National Cemetery, 2000 Mountain Creek Pkwy, Dallas, Texas 75211.