Martin Stanley Soudbash

         Martin Stanley Soudbash, 86, of Monument, Colorado, passed from this life on Sunday, May 10, 2020 at the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver after a 45-day battle with COVID-19.  He was born in Shiraz, Iran on April 12, 1934, the only son of his parents. After finishing high school in Iran, Martin came to the United States to study at the University of Houston in Texas and soon graduated with dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Math. While in Houston, Texas, on September 2, 1961, Martin married the love of his life, Janice Worley of Poteau, Oklahoma. They enjoyed a loving relationship that grew stronger by the year, for 58 years. They had three children, a son Steve born in 1963 in Huntsville, Alabama, a daughter Suzanne born in 1966 in Melbourne, Florida, and another daughter Linda born in 1968 also in Melbourne, Florida. In that same year, on October 24, 1968, Martin became a naturalized citizen of the United States. It was a moment of great celebration as he had longed to be an American citizen and raise an American family.

          Martin began his career working for Brown Engineering at NASA in Huntsville, Alabama, and then moved on to Cape Kennedy in Florida. At NASA, Martin worked on the Saturn V Moon Rocket Program that put a man on the moon. Following the successful moon missions, Martin joined Babcock and Wilcox Engineering of Lynchburg, Virginia. While at Babcock and Wilcox, known today as BWX Technologies Inc., Martin traveled extensively to Europe designing and constructing pump equipment for Nuclear Power Plant cooling systems. In 1975 Martin and his family moved to London, England and joined Worley Engineering where he designed and oversaw the production and installation of power generation and pumping equipment on offshore oil rigs in the North Sea and in the Middle East. In 1985 Martin and his family moved to Houston, Texas, where he joined Marathon Oil Corporation. Martin enjoyed a long career with Marathon and was highly valued in the company. After beginning his retirement from Marathon Oil, he continued his work and began consulting for other companies. His engineering expertise in rotating turbine equipment was in high demand. His consulting work took him all over the world, notably to Africa and to Singapore. After Martin’s final retirement from consulting, he focused on his family. He took pride in his children and his grandchildren’s accomplishments, supporting them in their efforts to achieve their dreams. Martin was a faithful member of the Tri-Lakes Church of Christ in Monument, Colorado.

        Martin is survived by his wife Janice; his son, Steve (Karen) Soudbash of Excelsior, Minnesota; his daughters, Suzanne (Geoffrey) Richter of Boerne, Texas, and Linda (Grant) Holt of Colorado Springs, Colorado; along with five grandsons, Caleb Richter, Seth Richter, Cameron Soudbash, Stewart Soudbash and Andrew Soudbash; three granddaughters, London Richter, Micah Richter and Morrigan Holt; his sister, Farah Motalei of Napa Valley, California. He is preceded in death by his parents and one sister. Martin will be remembered as a loving father, grandfather, dedicated friend, a quiet leader, the patriarch of his family, and the second father of many.

          Funeral services will be Saturday10:00am, June 6, 2020 at the Evans & Miller Funeral Home in Poteau, Oklahoma. Burial will be at the Shady Point Cemetery immediately following. A catered lunch is being provided to all members of the family, and friends alike, at the Fellowship Hall of the First Free Will Baptist Church in Poteau, Oklahoma. Pallbearers will be family members.

         For the safety and well-being of all those in attendance for the funeral service, the family would like to encourage the wearing of masks and the practice of social distancing. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Tri-Lakes Church of Christ, Mission Fund at 20450 Beacon Lite Rd., Monument, CO 80132. Or to give online, https://www.trilakeschurch.org/index.php/ministries/online-giving#