Dr. Gabriel Anthony “Tony” Martin, 58, of Nederland, died Sunday, October 23, 2016. He was born on November 11, 1957, in Beaumont, to Lilly Bruce Martin and Henry Leroy Martin.
Tony received his doctorate in Educational Administration/Supervision from the University of Southern Mississippi, his master’s degree in Audiology/Deaf Education and his bachelor’s in Speech (Deaf Education) from Lamar University. He spent the majority of his career at Lamar University, beginning as an Assistant Professor of Deaf Education in 1989. He began a long tenure as the Department Chair of the Communication Disorders and Deaf Education in 1994 (later the Department of Deaf Studies/Deaf Education) for over twenty years. His most recent position at Lamar was the Executive Director of the Office of Planning and Assessment (OPAA) and the liaison of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools-Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Prior to Lamar, he worked for seven years at Beaumont Independent School District as a K-12 Deaf/Hard of Hearing Teacher.
Tony was instrumental in setting up the doctoral program at the Deaf Studies/Deaf Education program at Lamar University, writing, receiving, and overseeing grants to fund the program. In addition, he was very involved with ACE-DHH (Association of College Educators-Deaf/Hard of Hearing) serving multiple times as an officer (President, President-Elect, Treasurer). He was also the Director of Program Evaluations for the Council on Education of the Deaf (CED) for six years.
Tony served his community well. He was very involved in ACTS and played his guitar at Life Teen music at St. Charles Catholic Church. In earlier years, he was very involved in coaching community and school sports teams, and Taekwando. Tony loved football, and frequently went to the Lamar University home games. He especially enjoyed skiing and hiking in the Utah mountains with his best friend, Dr. Freeman King. He also enjoyed exploring Native American culture and spirituality with his wife, Dr. Damara Paris.
Survivors include his wife, Dr. Damara Paris; daughter, Kali Beth Martin of LaPorte; son, Ian Anthony Martin of Nederland; stepdaughter, Sekoia Dawn Paris of Emporia, Kansas; mother, Lilly Martin of Nederland; brothers, Greg Martin and his wife, Gayla, of Pasadena; Mark Martin and his wife, Robin, of Nederland; John Martin and his wife, Betty, of Mauriceville; and Joe Martin of Orange; sisters, Theresa Battaglia and her husband, Toby, of Nederland and Michelle Mitchell and her husband, Allan, of Nederland; nieces and nephews, Kortney, Kirstey, Brandy, Joe, Michael, Taylor, and Jonas; great-nieces and nephews, Trinity, Ann Marie, and Kipton; brother in Christ, Al Harrison and his wife, Missy, and special friends, Dr. Freeman King, Steve Wolverton, and Dr. Curt Radford.
He was preceded in death by his father, Henry Martin.
Memorial contributions for Dr. Martin may be given in two ways:
1. The Gabriel “Tony” Anthony Martin Scholarship fund for Lamar University DSDE Students can be directed as follows:
Lamar University Foundation
P. O. Box 11500
Beaumont, Texas 77710
For online giving:
Please use our secure giving page online at: www.lamar.edu/give In the Designation dropdown box choose “Other (please specify below). In the Other Designation box reference Dr. Tony Martin Memorial Scholarship.
2. St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church ACTS, 211 Hardy Avenue, Nederland, Texas 77627.
Services will be held Friday, November 4, 2016, beginning at noon (visitation, rosary) then mass at 2:00 p.m. at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church 211 Hardy Avenue, Nederland, Texas 77627.
