W. Arnold Martin

W. Arnold Martin, BBA ’61, of Irving, TX, died Oct. 18 at age 85. He had a 40-year Caterpillar Equipment career, becoming vice president of Darr/Caterpillar. He was a weekly Bible study teacher, college admissions counselor and scholarships reviewer, among many other roles. Martin worked for Caterpillar in Shreveport, LA, and opened a new store to begin his career at Darr Equipment Co. in Waco. In 1964, Darr Equipment Co. moved the Martin family to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where Martin was a deacon of Irving’s Plymouth Park Baptist Church. Other civic involvement and awards include: Association of Baptists for Scouting, national chair; Circle Ten representative; Philmont Scout Ranch faculty; Silver Good Shepherd Award recipient; Troop 183 organizer; Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board and Chair, Emeritus Service Recognition Committee; Salt & Light Award recipient; and board member, Baptist Benevolence Ministries of Irving. He was a member of Relocation Task Force, recruiting Boy Scouts of America National Headquarters to Irving; Baylor’s Old Main Society; Bear Foundation; Development Council; Hankamer School of Business Advisory Board; and founder, “Texas Family Business of the Year Awards” program, Institute for Family Business. Martin was an Irving ISD trustee; president, Irving Healthcare Foundation Founding Board; Irving Prayer Breakfast, Irving Symphony Orchestra president, Irving-Los Colinas Rotary Club; and Irving Planning and Zoning Commission. Upon retiring from Darr, he joined the faculty of Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business Family Business Institute. He is preceded in death by wife Alice Day Hargis Martin. Among his survivors are his sons and their families: Karl Martin, BBA ’82, and Karen, BA ’81, MBA ’83, Kamille, BS ’15, Kameron and Lindsey, great-granddaughter Kyler Alice; Kevin, ’93, and Mark McGrath. In recent years, Martin had a companion, Frances Kaiser. Memorials may be made to the Bo Baker Memorial Scholarship at Baylor.