Robert Louis (Bob) Martin

Robert Louis (Bob) Martin answered the Lord's roll call on May 20, 2023. Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 25,2023, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm at Krestridge Funeral Home Celebration services will be held at the First Baptist Church of Levelland at 2PM on Friday, May 26,2023 with interment to follow in the Levelland City Cemetery.

Robert Louis Martin was born to Thomas C. and Elizabeth Martin on May 24, 1937 in Lamesa, Texas. He and his 2 brothers, Tom and Dick, grew up together as loving and caring individuals while living in Welch, McCarty (both in Dawson County) Los Angeles, San Antonio (during WWII), in Lamesa, and later in Slaton, Texas.

Bob graduated from Slaton High School, in 1955. While attending there he participated in all sports and school plays. An ardent sports fan, he attended Texas Technological College in Lubbock. Working at various jobs, he put himself through college. It was during that time, he met Linda Sue Smith, who would become his loving wife and companion, for the rest of his days. They were married on July 18, 1959 in Slaton, and for the next 62 plus years they "toured the world" together visiting every state of the union, including Alaska and Hawaii.

Soon after they married, he accepted a coaching/teaching position, even though he had not finished college. He began a coaching career in September of that year in Memphis, Texas, where he and Linda's daughter, Phyllis was born in 1960. The threesome moved to Littlefield 4 years later, where Robert (Rob) Louis Martin, Jr. was born in 1966. That fall, the family moved to Slaton, Texas and 3 years later, Bob ended his coaching career by accepting a position of Assistant High School Principal in Levelland, Texas.

Robert, or Bob as he became known, served as High School Assistant Principal, then as Jr. High Principal for 5 years, and High School Principal for 18 years, helping to graduate more than 4,000 students. In 1994, he became the Executive Director of Administrative Services for the Levelland School District, and later served as Deputy Superintendent. In 1999, he was selected as Superintendent of Schools for Levelland, where he was instrumental in the building of the Levelland Middle School, the ABC school building, as well as helping the district acquire the land to build a new Lobo Stadium.

He was a state officer for the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals for 6 years and served at State President of that organization in 1993. He became a life member of both the TASSP and the NASSP. He served on Governor John Connally's Committee of Sixteen, where he gathered information for his Master's Thesis on the Social Studies Curriculum of Texas. He also represented Texas on the General Electric Roundtable on Education in Washington, D.C. and worked with Governor Ann Richards in passing legislation that created ADE schools in the State of Texas. During this time he received advanced graduate credit in Education from San Diego State University and from Miami University. He served the Texas Education Agency for 4 years as an accreditor in the Texas State School Initiative. He wrote several articles for professional publications and spoke at various organizational meetings across the country. He retired in 2004 after 45 years in the field of education.

Bob was a life member of Lion's International, TSTA, NEA, and TRTA. He was a Gideon, a Deacon in the First Baptist Church of Levelland, where he taught Sunday school classes for young people and later for adults.

After his retirement, he continued to serve his church and community on various boards and committees. He was the Hockley County Representative on the Office of Dispute Resolution Board of Advisors where he served as Vice-Chairman. He was a licensed Mediator for the State of Texas for over 25 years.

Bob wrote and published his first novel in April of 2015. He loved to tell stories, remained active in golf and fishing, as well as in church and community activities until May 2023.

He loved teaching, working with teachers, and kids. His personal motto was, to have a place "where good things happened for kids, every day."

Survivors include his wife, Linda; daughter, Phyllis Hopp and husband Tony; son Robert Jr.; grandchildren, Rachel and Ryan Skillman, Keaton Robin, Garrett and Pepper Hopp, Jennifer and Tommy Dunn, great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Arrangements are under the direction and personal care of the professionals at Krestridge Funeral Home. (806)897-1111