James Donald Martin, Jr.

Services for James D. \"Jim\" Martin will be at 2:30 Friday, June 3, 2016 at New Hebron Baptist Church, Waskom, Texas with Rev. Jerrey Jinks officiating. Interment will be at Mt. Zion Cemetery, in DeBerry, Texas. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, June 2, 2016 at Rose-Neath Southside Funeral Home, Shreveport, Louisiana.

James D. \"Jim\" Martin was born September 13, 1958 in Cameron County, Texas in the town of Harlingen. During Jim\'s youth he lived in the Houston area and moved to the Shreveport area in the late 60\'s. Jim married Lois Donnette Raley on June 21, 1980 and later made his home and raised his children in our beloved community of Elysian Fields, Texas, or as he referred to it as \"the heavenly fields of East Texas\". He was a carpenter by trade, which skills he learned working with his father-in-law George Eugene \"Gene\" Raley, which later grew into the cabinet making business. Jim lived life and enjoyed many sports and activities. Jim enjoyed hunting and was a long time member of the Opossum Creek Hunting Club of Minden, Louisiana, and he dearly loved hunting out in West Texas with his two sons, Colton James Martin and Camron Stuart Martin, sometimes accompanied by his wife, Donnette and daughter Caitlyn Marissa Devona Martin. Jim loved camping and boating, some of their most treasured memories cutting up the water on Lake Greeson in Arkansas with his family and close friends. Jim\'s life was centered around his family and community. Always involved in and present for his children\'s sports and activities. Jim an avid fan of Elysian Fields High School Football and could always be found in the stands, on his feet, and cheering on our beloved \"Jackets\".

Jim was preceded in death by his father, James Donald Martin, mother, Geraldine Simons Martin, grandparents, Gerald Ellington and Edith Verlander Simons, grandfather, Luther Martin and his wife Elise, step-grandfather L. C. \"Bud\" Burris, uncle Ed Green, uncle Dennis Martin, Wilson Blakely, and his much beloved father-in-law, George Eugene \"Gene\" Raley. Jim leaves behind his wife of 35 years, Lois Donnette Raley Martin, his two sons, Colton James Martin and Camron Stuart Martin, and his daughter, Caitlyn Marissa Devona Martin, brother-in-law Timothy Eugene \"Tim\" Raley and his wife Lynne, nephew, Caleb Thomas Raley, niece, Gracie Madison Raley, grandmother Opal Burris, uncles and aunts, James E. and Donna Shepherd Martin, Gary and Georgia Martin, James and Joy Martin Covington, Shirley Martin Green, Jim and Annette Simons Story, Lynn Simons Blakely Martin, Dub and Dana Simons McWhorter, Keith and Janet Simons Wamsley, and many cousins. Pall bearers are Tommy Gay, Jerry McCann, Cody Norman, Mike Phillips, Dennis Procell, Brad Richardson. Honorary pall bearers are Tanner Cade Norman, PFC U.S. Marine Corps, Elysian Fields Jackets and the \"Football Dads\", and the Members of the Opossum Creek Hunting Club. We will always be grateful for the care he received at MD Anderson Cancer Treatment Center. The Jim Martin family will always be deeply grateful for the love and support of our close family, friends and the Elysian Fields Community who carried us through and had our backs throughout Jim\'s long battle. We love you.