Arthur "A.B." Martin, 87: Atlanta Attorney, Civic Leader

Correction: Visitation starts at 6 p.m. today, Jan. 22, with a funeral service Thursday at 2 p.m.

Arthur Burtis Leach Martin, attorney and resident of Atlanta, GA, and Amelia Island, FL: known as A. B. to family-friends and business associates alike: died peacefully at Piedmont Hospital on Monday, Jan. 20, 2014. He was 87.

A. B. was a devoted father, husband and friend, and a tireless attorney and civic leader. Born in Providence, RI, on Nov. 20, 1926, to Justus Carlile Martin Sr. and Maude Chandler Leach Martin, A. B. was the third of three children. His sister, Mary Emily Martin Chambers Nalley, and brother, Justus Carlile Martin Jr., preceded him in death.

The family moved to Atlanta in 1928 and A. B. attended elementary school at Little Lovett and North Fulton High School in Atlanta. After serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II, A. B. completed his undergraduate education at the University of Georgia and graduated from Emory University Law School. He practiced real estate law for many years at Smith, Cohen, Ringel, Kohler, Martin & Lowe, where he became Managing Partner. In 1985 he joined the firm of Morris & Manning and retired as Senior Partner of Morris, Manning & Martin, LLP, in 2000.

In 1948 A. B. married Dorothy Jeanne Torras and they had three children, Arthur Burtis Leach Martin Jr., Hill Torras Martin and Eleanor Carlile Martin Rollins. In 1967 he married Jeanne Norma Owen Beakes; in 1973 he adopted her daughter, Lynn Beakes, who died in 2010.

Over the years A. B. was active in both civic life and his local churches. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the A. G. Rhodes Home, the Board of Trustees of the Schenck School, the Board of Directors of St. Joseph's Mercy Foundation, and the Board of Advisors of the Atlanta International School. He was a Director and Secretary of the Buckhead Improvement District. He was a founder, Director and past Chairman of the Buckhead Coalition. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors of the Buckhead Club. He was a member of the Piedmont Driving Club, the Peachtree Golf Club, the Jacksonville Yacht Club, the National Kidney Foundation of Georgia Golf Committee (supporting fund raising for kidney research), the Gridiron Secret Society, the Phi Delta Phi Fraternity (legal), the Atlanta and American Bar Associations, the State Bar of Georgia, the Lawyer's Club of Atlanta, the Commerce Club, the International Council of Shopping Centers and the Mortgage Bankers' Association.

He served as a deacon at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Philip and as an elder, a Member of Session and Chairman of the Finance Committee of Peachtree Presbyterian Church.

One of A. B.'s proudest accomplishments was the establishment of The 300 Club of Atlanta, a nonprofit organization providing financial support to the families of firefighters and police who are injured or lose their lives in the line of duty.

A. B. was a devoted family man, who regarded as family many long-time friends, including his partners at Morris, Manning & Martin, as well as Gladys Floyd, deceased, and Elizabeth Schuler of Saluda, SC, each of whom worked as his legal secretary for over 20 years.

A. B.'s law practice focused on commercial real estate. He was involved in many transactions that contributed to significantly to economic growth and positive development in the metropolitan Atlanta area, including the representation of financial lending institutions and office park, commercial building and apartment developers and operators. He was well known for his negotiating skills and practical knowledge of the law, a wizard at rescuing complex transactions who always devoted 100 percent of his energy and intelligence to his clients and any activity he undertook.

A. B. is survived by his wife, Jeanne Owen Martin of Atlanta; sons Arthur B. L. Martin Jr. of Oakland, CA, and Hill Torras Martin of Dallas, TX; daughter Eleanor Martin Rollins of Atlanta; grandsons Richard Randall Rollins III of Virginia Beach, VA, Christopher Carlile Rollins of Atlanta, Claude Wilson Rollins of Atlanta, John Henry Rollins of Atlanta and Hill Torras Martin Jr. of Dallas; granddaughters Kate Ashley Martin of Dallas, Virginia Torras Martin of Dallas, Katherine Martin Lyon of Atlanta and Laura Thompson Lyon of Atlanta; and great-grandchildren Isabelle Grace Rollins and Richard Randall Rollins IV of Virginia Beach, and Owen Winslow Clarke of Atlanta. He is also survived by nephews Robert William Chambers Jr. of Atlanta, Carlile Martin Chambers of Atlanta and Richard Vaughan Nalley of Brooklyn, NY; and nieces Maude Ashley Martin Huff of Columbus, GA, Julia Orme Martin McClelland of Mobile, AL and Jennifer Carlile Martin Rowland of Chicago, IL.

The family will receive visitors at H.M. Patterson's Spring Hill Jan. 22, 2014 from 6-8 p.m. A funeral service will be held at Peachtree Presbyterian Church on Jan. 23, 2014, at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The 300 Club of Atlanta, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta at Eggleston, or the Shepherd Center. Online condolences may be made at hmpattersonspringhill.com

H.M. Patterson & Son-Spring Hill Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

See also: Buckhead Law Firm Mourns the Loss of Arthur B.L. Martin