Thomas Martin Obituary

Thomas ""Tom"" Gary Martin, age 70, of Colorado Springs, Colorado passed away on September 10, 2020 at home in the loving care of his wife and four adult children after a brief but brave battle with pancreatic cancer. Tom was born on November 25, 1949 in St. Louis, MO but spent his childhood and high school years in Birmingham, Alabama, graduating from John Carroll Catholic High School in 1967. Following graduation, Tom was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point, serving his senior year as Company Commander of F-1. Upon graduating from West Point with the class of 1971, Tom was commissioned as an infantry officer and was stationed at Fort Carson, where he met and married Sara Alexander, his wife of 47 years. In 1974 the Army sent Tom to the University of Alabama where he received his JD Law Degree. Tom's first assignment as a JAG Officer was Ft. Bliss in El Paso, Texas. In 1981 Tom and Sara moved their family back to Colorado Springs for his final army assignment at Fort Carson where he completed his active duty commitment in 1983. He continued to serve as an Army Reservist, retiring in 1998 as a Lieutenant Colonel. Following the Army, Tom practiced law in Colorado Springs for more than 30 years, until his retirement in 2011. Tom was a dedicated graduate of West Point; founding and organizing the ongoing annual ""Class of 1971 Golf Shoot-Out"", a benefit for the Association of Graduates Class of 1971 fund. He met many of his life-long best friends at the Academy and was diligent about fostering those friendships and the many other friendships he enjoyed. Tom spent his life, especially in retirement, doing the many things he loved; traveling with Sara, friends and USMA classmates, spending quality time with his four kids and their families, golfing, summiting a majority of Colorado's 14ers, camping, spending time at their cabin and completing numerous road races to include three marathons. He was a quiet but devoted volunteer, most recently spending time restoring St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Questa, New Mexico and volunteering for Team Rubicon, cutting fire lines and restoring National Forests. Through Tom's interest and experiences in the world, Tom passed on knowledge and life lessons that are forever imprinted in his children and grandchildren. Tom is survived by his wife, Sara, whom he so deeply loved, and their four children; Scott (Katie), Brooke (Tony Clement), Lyndsay (Adam Ressler), Haley (Dan Wilkes), his eight adoring grandchildren Ellie Martin, Trace, Kennedy, and Thomas Clement, Brynn and Hayes Ressler, Jack and Nolan Wilkes, to whom he was affectionately known as ""T"", his Sister Susan Coppin, his brother Jeff Martin, nephews Adam and Kirk Stevens and niece Jamison Stevens (Hernandez). He is preceded in death by his parents, William ""Bill"" and Mildred ""Bebee"" Martin. His family will continue to look to his memory as a model of integrity, love for family, sense of humor and a life Professionally Done ""71"". Be Thou at Peace.Memorial Services will be announced at a time when we can appropriately gather to remember and celebrate Tom's life. If a donation ""In Memory of"" is of desire, it can be made to any of the organizations dear to Tom. West Point Class of 1971 Gift Fund: Please go to www.westpointaog.org/giveto71 . Select ""One-time Gift"" and ""In Memory of"". Team Rubicon: www.teamrubiconusa.org/give St. Anthony's Catholic Church: P.O. Box 200 Questa, New Mexico 87556 87556