Henry S. Martin Jr. Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Henry S. Martin, Jr. was born on March 10, 1939 to Henry S. Martin and Vera Adelle Aull Martin in Columbia, South Carolina. At the age of ten months, the family moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he spent the next nine years. In 1948, the family moved back to Columbia. He graduated from Dreher High School, where he was active in the band program. As a HS senior, at the request of the USC Band Director, he played with the University of South Carolina band. He then attended the University of South Carolina and graduated with a BS degree, serving as Band President his senior year. He later received an MBA from the University of Dallas. He is preceded in death by his parents, and a younger sister, Vera Lynne Martin Lewis. He is survived by his wife, Opal Faye Wall Martin and two nephews, Eric Martin Lewis and Scott Hayne Lewis, both of Greenville, S.C. & his Boston Terrier, Rocky. Henry and Opal were married at Lakeside Baptist Church in 1973, enjoying 49 years of marriage. In his teen years, Henry rode and showed Tennessee walking horses and three and five-gaited horses throughout North and South Carolina and Georgia. Henry was initially brought to Dallas by Frito-Lay. He later joined Texas Pacific Oil, which was later bought by Sun Oil, of which he retired from. He then joined UT Southwestern Medical Center, where he retired in 2009. For nine years, he taught night classes of Computer Science at Richland College, and was an Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at the Graduate School of Management of the University of Dallas.. He was active in Lakeside Baptist Church, then later the Heights Baptist Church, serving as Adult Sunday School Department Director, on the Finance Committee, singing in the Adult Choir, playing in the Church Orchestra, and serving as Adult Choir President. He was an Ordained Deacon. In 2019, Henry and Opal joined the First Baptist Church of Plano in 2019. Henry loved music and was active in music for most of his life. After college, he formed a rock and roll band, which played at clubs and dances for several years. In later years, he played with several community bands, two church orchestras, in addition to several groups affiliated with the Masonic fraternity. Henry was active in Masonry for most of his life, receiving his 60 year Service Award from both Texas and South Carolina Grand Lodges. He was raised to a Master Mason in Columbia in 1960, when he was 21. Upon arriving in Dallas, he affiliated with Edwin J. Kiest Lodge #1310 in Dallas, and was Worshipful Master in 1988-89 and later served as Lodge Secretary for twelve years. He served as a DDGM in 1992 for Grand Master J.P. Vogel and District Masonic Relations Officer for Masonic District 14-C, served on several Grand Lodge committees, including Membership Chairman, and was one of the initial groups who was involved with the Gift of Life Program, the statewide blood drive program of Grand Lodge. He wrote the first manual on Masonic lodges holding effective blood drives. In the York Rite, he was HP of Dallas Chapter #47 RAM, TIM of Dallas Council #18, and Commander of Indivisible Friends Commandery #13. He received the Knight York Cross of Honor and was a member of Lyle L. Cross York Rite College. Active in Scottish Rite, he received the 33rd degree IGH in 2017. He was a member of Hella Temple Shrine, where he played in the Concert Band and Drum and Bugle Corps. He was also a member of The Royal Order of Scotland, Rose of Sharon Council of Knight Masons, Alla Grotto, the Red Cross of Constantine, Allied Masonic Degrees, and the Rosicrucians. He was awarded the Grand Cross of Color from the International Order of Rainbow for Girls and the Legion of Honor from Demolay. Henry was active in The Order of The Eastern Star, serving as Worthy Patron of Edwin J. Kiest Chapter nine times. He served on many Texas Grand Chapter committees, including OES Home Endowment, Jurisprudence, and Purposes and Policies. He was Executive Chairman of the Texas Grand Chapter in 1996-97, and elected to serve as Worthy Grand Patron of Texas in 1998-99. He was then asked to serve as General Chairman for the 2012 General Grand Chapter Assembly held in Fort Worth. In 2012, he was elected by the General Grand Chapter as Right Worthy Grand Sentinel, elevated to Right Worthy Associate Grand Patron in 2015, and Most Worthy Grand Patron in 2018, serving three years as the top male officer of the worldwide organization. Henry received a number of accolades, including being named an Admiral in the Texas Navy by Governor George W. Bush. He loved his Boston Terrier. Service dogs were the number one charity of General Grand Chapter; Grand Chapter of Texas raised enough money to buy 3 service dogs in his honor, and Henry had the honor to name them Bandit and Martin, with Rosebud in training. In lieu of flowers, donations to the American Diabetes Association or Texas Heart Institute would be greatly appreciated. Visitation for Henry S. Martin, Jr. will be Sunday, May 22, 2022 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Restland Funeral Home. A Service will be Monday, May 23, 2022 at 12:30 PM at First Baptist Church Plano 3665 W President George Bush Hwy, Plano, TX 75075, followed by a Masonic Graveside Service at Court of Reflections in Restland Memorial Park. Cemetery maps are available inside the funeral home, and there is an information booth on the grounds as well. Funeral arrangements for Henry S. Martin, Jr. have been faithfully entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and Cemetery, which is located at 13005 Greenville Ave., at the intersection of Restland Road, Dallas, Texas 75243, and can be reached at (972) 238-7111.

Henry S. Martin Jr.

March 10, 1939 - May 16, 2022