Walter DeWitt Martinez was born July 3, 1920 in Zwolle, LA, graduated from high school at the age of 16 and moved to Beaumont, TX. After attending Chenier Business School, he joined Beaumont Motor Company on July 1, 1937. Walter has worked in automobile sales since then, and was still working at J.K. Chevrolet in Nederland when he had heart surgery and was forced to retire. He was a longtime member of Sales and Marketing Executives.
He is survived by his daughter, Janis Thibodeaux and her husband Ronald of Beaumont; stepdaughter, Jimmie Lee LaCour and her husband Donald of Groves; stepson, Don Hargroder and his wife Paula of Lumberton; stepdaughter, Vickie Vacek and her husband Mark of Sugarland; grandsons, Corey Simoneaux, Ronnie Thibodeaux, Jared Hargroder and Darin LaCour; granddaughters, Donna Broussard, Denise Delcambre, Jennifer LaCour, Rachel Shaver and Heather Hughes; and many great-grandchildren. His wife, Lee Martinez and grandson Derek Lee Simoneaux preceded him in death.
Funeral services will be 2:00 PM Saturday, February 19, 2005 at Broussard’s, 1605 N. Major Drive in Beaumont. Interment will follow in Forest Lawn Memorial Park with grandsons: Corey Simoneaux, Brian Ware, Jared Hargroder, Ronnie Thibodeaux, Jacob LaCour, Cody Delcambre and Tom Broussard serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be long-time friends J. C. Giglio, Lonnie Day, Charlie Nichols, John Blackwell, John Lavergne, Jack Phelps and Don Corbello. A gathering of his family and friends will be Friday evening from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the mortuary.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association,
3195 Calder Suite 200, Beaumont, Texas 77702.
