Funeral services for Emery Martindale, age 72, of Brownwood, will be at 2:00 PM, Wednesday, September 4, 2013 in the Heartland Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Tuesday evening from 6:00 until 8:00.
Emery Sherwood Martindale passed from this world of sorrows and pain into the arms of Jesus on August 31, 2013. He was born on September 15, 1940 at March Field, Riverside CA to Edna Meta Dietz and Emery Sherwood Martindale. Raised in San Angelo, Texas, he graduated from the new Central High School in 1959 and attended University of Texas as a scholarship athlete in football and track and field. Emery graduated from Hardin Simmons University in the fall of 1965. Upon graduation, he and Jan Hampton married and were blessed with two children, Shawna McCabe of San Antonio and Trey Martindale of Memphis Tennessee. In July of 1975, Emery and Veletta Michael Mokri were married at their A-frame house on Lake Brownwood, soon after; he adopted his bride’s daughter Natasha. The following summer, they were blessed with a son, Emery Scott Martindale.
Emery possessed a large personality and even bigger heart for loving people. Depending upon the day, you could find him mowing the “mountain” at the family home in which he took so much pride, scrub brush in hand trying to make an old car look new at Texas Motors, with his clip board taking count for Sunday school at Austin Avenue, or cheering on his beloved Longhorns on a Saturday afternoon. He was truly a one-of-a-kind character that is impossible to limit into words. He loved the Lord and was a loyal servant at Austin Avenue Church of Christ, serving as a deacon for the youth group for several years. Emery felt most alive when surrounded by kids serving the lord. He went on various missionary trips to Mexico, hosted “Normer’s” famous Super bowl parties and always opened the doors to youth huddle meetings. In Emery’s world, nothing was done half way – if he was involved, it was like him, big and bold.
Emery loved a competition, having never missed a Brownwood Lion, UT or Cowboys game; it made him feel young, and rejuvenated the feelings of his youth. Mostly, he just enjoyed watching young men succeed. (Unless UT was playing the Razorbacks, Aggies or Sooners) In addition, he loved to fish and hunt with the metal detector. He would be lost to the world for days in the old boat docks of Lake Brownwood or a vacant piece of property. Emery was a natural seeker and his finds were legendary.
Emery, and his wife of 38 years Valetta, created quite the list of adventures and memories. He is preceded in death by his parents Edna and Emery Martindale, daughter Natasha Martindale and brother Edwin Martindale. He leaves behind his wife Valetta Martindale of Brownwood, children Scott Martindale of Las Colinas, Trey Martindale of Memphis Tennessee, Shawna McCabe of San Antonio, brother Ed Martindale of Bronte, multiple grandchildren and 28 wonderful foster children.
We were blessed with Emery for 72 years and will always smile upon those great memories. The Martindale family would like to expressly thank you for all your prayers, love and support.
The family requests that memorials be made to Cherokee Home for Children, PO Box 295, Cherokee, 76832-0295.
Condolences can be offered to the family at www.heartlandfuneralhome.net
