Martin Michael “Mike” Middleton was a 5th generation Shelby Countian born at the Sanitorium in Center, Texas on February 13, 1947.  He passed away on October 3, 2017 in Boerne, Texas following a 10-month battle with melanoma.

 

Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Friday, October 6, 2017, at Watson & Sons Funeral Home in Center.  Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, October 7, 2017, at First Baptist Church in Center.  Interment will follow at Oaklawn Memorial Park in Center.

 

Mike grew up in Shelby County and graduated from Center High School in 1965.  He started working at an early age, including driving the Center band bus. Mike took over his family’s feed mill and poultry business at the age of 16 after his own father passed away.  He remained active in the chicken farming and cattle ranching business for much of his life, but Mike’s primary career was devoted to trucking.  He grew the family business which shipped 3 daily loads of chickens from Center to Seguin into a dedicated trucking company based out of Center.  By the time he semi-retired, Mike was president of Middleton Transportation Company / Lisa Motor Lines, a company that operated several hundred trucks out of Fort Worth and focused on delivering fresh produce and many other food products between producers and grocers across the US, Canada, and Mexico.  Even after retirement, Mike helped his sons run several other trucking companies until 2011.

 

Mike will be remembered as a loving husband, brother, proud father of 4 boys, and a grandfather that adored his 5 granddaughters and grandson.  He was a loyal friend to many, and a respected businessman and employer.  Mike was a generous philanthropist and went above and beyond to assist family, employees, and complete strangers in need.  In his personal life and his business, Mike was a man of integrity, and his word was his bond.  On the outside, he embodied the tough, rugged Texan ideal, but on the inside he had a large and generous heart and earned the love and respect of many people during his 70 years.  

 

He is survived by

Wife: Brenda Williams Middleton

 

Sons: Martin, Michael, Mark, and Matt

 

Sister: Alice Joy Canales

 

Brother: Verner Wayne Middleton

 

Grandchildren: Michaela, Courtney, Breanna, Hannah, Maci, and Micah 

 

Dog: Benji

 

Preceded by: Parents Martin McCoy Middleton and Shirley Booth Middleton

 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Healthwell Foundation – an organization dedicated to assisting those unable to afford lifesaving medications for chronic illnesses.

http://www.healthwellfoundation.org/ 

Phone: (800) 675-8416

 

Online condolences & tributes can be sent at www.watsonandsonsfuneralhome.com