Ray Braxton Martin

Ray Braxton Martin, age 85, of Rison, died Sunday, August 21, 2005 in the Jefferson Regional Medical Center at Pine Bluff.  Born November 23, 1919 in Rison, he was a son of the late Charles A. and Sallie Rutledge Martin.  Martin graduated from Rison High School in 1937.  He and his twin brother, Roy, operated Martin Brothers Gas Company for 31 years.  He was a member and deacon of Rison Baptist Church where he was Sunday School superintendent for over 50 years. He was a 32nd degree Mason, past president of Arkansas Butane Association and past chairman of the Board of Trustees of Henderson State University. 

Martin was active in the Democratic Party and was an avid Rison Wildcat football fan and supporter. He was the voice of the Wildcats for 59 years.  He was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Rachel Brown; two brothers, twin brother Roy A. Martin and Paul Martin and a sister, Alice Neal.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Ethel Reed Martin of Rison; two daughters and sons-in-law, Cindy and Ronnie Brown of Rison and Hilda and Paul Harris of Radford, Virginia; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.  Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, August 24, at the Rison Baptist Church with Bro. Wade Totty officiating. Burial was in Greenwood Cemetery at Rison by Buie Funeral Home.
The family requests memorials be made to Rison Baptist Church Piano Fund, P.O. Box 331, Rison, Arkansas 71665.

Source: Fordyce News Advocate, 24 Aug 2005