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Bill Martin with his law enforcement badge and a hand-carved Christmas ornament.
Bill Martin's hobbies include carving in-demand wooden crosses and Christmas ornament.
The Fourth of July has come and gone, but Bill Martin is an old-fashioned patriot with abiding love for God and country. In fact, he’d like his legacy to be two-fold: “I tried to live by the Boy Scout Law and as a common man.”
He was shaped by a two-generation family in San Antonio. His father served in the Texas Cavalry during World War I and in France during World War II. His two-step brothers served in World War II as well. A Boy Scout, Bill worked as his father’s apprentice in his cabinet shop and at his pharmacy before attending what was then Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos.
Fast forward to today where he works as a relief bailiff at the Midland County Courthouse after two lengthy, disparate careers. His servant heart has affected everything he does.
Originally, with his degree in industrial arts, he went to work for Dover Elevators in San Antonio, taught scuba diving and was Scoutmaster for Troop 10. In 1977, he was transferred to Midland and became “Dover Bill,” a one-person office. In 1979, Bill undertook paramedic training to hedge his bets against unemployment. After 32 years with Dover, he retired, attended the peace officer academy, and spent 11 years as a tactical paramedic on Midland County’s SWAT team.
Bill served in the Coast Guard Reserves, where his group was responsible for port security, law enforcement, firefighting and small boating safety. His “active duty” was two weeks at Lake Amistad. Summer vacations took him to Galveston, where he berthed aboard the restored bark Elissa, a tall ship docked there and maintained in sailing condition by people like him, an all-volunteer crew.
New hobbies consumed his extra time, such as participating with the Greenwood Fire Department, as ground team leader for the Civil Air Patrol, medical team leader for Rock the Desert and as an in-demand wooden cross and Christmas ornament carver.
Bill bought a spacious workshop which came with a house, storage building and guest cottage. That allowed him to move most of his father’s woodworking tools and saws to Midland. His previous projects had consisted of cedar-lined “hope chests” for a few friends. A swinging baby cradle followed until the pastor at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church asked him to carve small crosses for their annual confirmands. This was followed by a request from someone in The Parables Sunday School Class to craft a unique piece for its annual ornament exchange
Bill says that as soon as one Christmas party ends, he’s already thinking about the ornament design for the next year. “I might work on it in the back of my head for six months, and sometimes it [the execution] works, and sometimes it doesn’t,” he admits. Primarily using a wood lathe, (a table saw, drill press, and thickness planer also help), Bill turns out stunning pieces of about 3-6 inches in height. Various types of wood are inlaid for contrast and beauty. He’s recently added a small light to some, and no two ornaments are identical for his fellow class members. It’s a sought-after item at each year’s Christmas party because several members still don’t have one.
Bill’s love for his church commenced the first week he was in town and has grown over 45 years. He’s often a substitute Sunday School teacher, and has researched and presented a wide variety of thought-provoking lessons for The Parables. Some topics have been Islam and other books not included in the Bible. He credits former class teachers, the late Dr. Sam Macferran and Bob Easter, with helping him think about the Bible analytically rather than just emotionally.
Reflecting upon his formal careers, volunteer service to others and exceptional woodworking talents, Bill explains that he had more time to devote because, “I wasn’t blessed with a wife and kids.” He describes himself by quoting Johnny Cash, “I’m a flag waving, patriotic nephew of my Uncle Sam.”
Staff reporter for the Midland Reporter-Telegram