05/08/2026
William Nelson Martin
William Nelson Martin passed away peacefully at his home in Lincoln, NM on Wednesday, April 29 at the age of 88. He was born on March 31, 1938 in El Paso, Texas to Irvy “Abe” and Daisy Mae Martin. He spent his childhood in the Upper Valley and attended grade school at Zach White and later, El Paso High School. He received a bachelor’s degree in business from Texas Western College.
He began his career at the El Paso Credit Bureau and later became a Real Estate Broker specializing in sales of upper valley farm land. As a young man, often instead of going to school, he roamed the desert and climbed Mt. Franklin. Nelson was a desert rat the rest of his life. He loved the outdoors and enjoyed rafting in Big Bend, camping in the wilderness, and bird hunting west of El Paso at Mount Riley with his family and friends. Nelson loved his country and was a staunch patriot. There was never a gray area with him. You always knew where he stood. He loved women, ALL women. He was a teaser and enjoyed bantering with anyone who would put up with him; a waitress at a restaurant, his grand daughter, or any stranger who he met. He was an avid reader and proudly published two books, “Ring Around The Sun” and “Time Never Runs Back.” After he retired, he and Sandra moved to Lincoln, New Mexico in 2021.
To help you understand Nelson, the character he was, and what made him tick, this is an excerpt from something he wrote back in 2018:
“A few years ago, Shelby and I were telling someone about those early years building our house near the crossroads. I was eight and he was six. Working in scorching heat and brittle, dry dust, with grimy cracked, callused hands, we filled a million five gallon buckets with gravel from the arroyo for concrete footings and the slab. We assaulted old barns and vacant houses and loaded Dad’s pickup with old tin, lumber, anything that could be used for building the house, including bent nails. Ah, bent nails---still my favorite item to be hammered back straight. Never know when you’ll need a nice straight nail.”
Sandra witnessed him still doing that over the years! Nelson was a “gentle giant” who adored his family and a multitude of friends including the Lone Tree Colorado group. When a friend learned he had passed, she said, “He picked an amazing scene to take his leave.” Another said, “I wish I could tell him “Ay Te Watcho” just one last time!
Nelson was a devoted husband, son, father, and grandfather. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Sandra, son Wayne (Kristina) Ft. Worth, TX, daughter, Carolyn Goldfarb (Scott) Scottsdale, AZ and daughter-in-law Julianne Martin (Denver). His son, Bill Paul Martin preceded him in death as did his brother, Shelby, his mother, Daisy, father, Abe, half brother, Jiggs, and half sister, Jeannene. Nelson was blessed with six grandchildren who gave him so much happiness in later life: Jakob Goldfarb (Sara), Hanna Goldfarb, Ryan Martin, Travis Martin, Mia Helene Martin and Luke Martin. And, his faithful dog, Sam, who waits at the gate every day for him to come home.
Nelson’s service will be held on June 6 at 10:00 at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church located at 7050 McNutt Road, Anthony, NM 88021.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that contributions be made to BP’s Fight Against ALS at Vectra Wealth Management, c/o Janet Lowe, 7222 E. Layton Ave. Denver, CO 80237
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