Favorite Photos
family & friends
©2007 Phantom Productions, Inc.
Chris <1984 • Martin <1984 • >1984
Alpine, Texas 1960's
Margaret "Peg" in 1957 Sul Ross Brand year book. She received her Bach of Arts that year.
George Crerar, Martin, Peg, Peggy, Jerry Lee Armstrong 1958
Peg (Martin's Mom right) with family Volkswagen 1958
In the 1950's the Theophilus family followed the baseball games played by the Alpine Cowboys. These included local games at Kokernot Field, as well as the road trips. A couple of players who attended and taught at Sul Ross State College were Roy Lewis and Ray Van Cleef.
Ray Van Cleef & Roy Lewis
Dad, Martin, Peggy & Mom in Crerar's living room
Dad, Peggy, Mom, Martin, Grandma, Grandpa Late '50's
Jan school pic and 7th grade orientation. Jan Evans was one of Martin's first "girl" friends. They would hang out on the steps of her home talking about all issues. Martin's Mom once sent the police chief Jack Johnson to get Martin to go home. Martin (with the help of his Mom), threw a surprise party for Jan's birthday.
Jan Evans Geisha Girl at Alpine HS prom - Martin's Mom did decorations
One of Martin's Mom's great prom sets
Martin's Cousin Jim Gibson
Bill & Martin during Alpine Creek flooding
Palmer Coats, Jan Evans, Rochelle Sohl & Dina Sue Turner at Alpine Country Club dance
David, Carol & Donna Lynn at Alpine Country Club dance
Friends rock hunting near Cathedral mountain. This is often what my Mom would arrange for my birthdays. Cathedral Mountain was also a landmark for the Army Air Corp based at the Marfa Army Air Base.
Bill, Joe & Martin
Downtown Alpine showing Granada , the Saddlery, Texas Cafe in
1959 Theophilus' Shopper Guide Press, art store, print shop and eventually a Hallmark bookstore and magazine newspaper distribution building.
Crerars 1959 - view video
Peggy riding with Myra Hord
Martin's gas airplane
One of Martin's model cars with Central school gym in background
One of Martin's model cars with Central school in background
Martin's model ships
Martin applied for his first Texas Drivers license on October 23, 1961. He, along with other Alpine High students took advantage of the Driver's Ed program
allowing 15 year olds to get their DL's. Martin learned to drive initially in his parent VW car and VW Combi.
During the many trips Martin's parents made through Ft. Stockton, Martin met Trisha Hardy. She made some of the paper trips with his family and Martin would spend some Saturdays in ft. Stockton. Some of Martin's first records were 45s purchased at the Ft. Stockton record store.
Martin doing homework? ReallY?
Bill in Martin's room working on gas plane
Martin's Mom Margaret "Peg" on rock hunting trip with the Sul Ross Geology Dept. - view video
Martin's Mom made copper plaques for various Alpine organization
Martin's room showing first reel to reel tapes, ham QSL cards, QSL map, old WW II receiver, covered typewriter and phonograph
Martin's original ham set up
Martin with code key & QSL cards
Martin's ham shack and 45 ft ham tower behind parents' office
ham room being built
unhappy to pose ham cat
Martin ham radio KN5YCJ 1956
Very early switchboard in Martin's ham rom & Bill looking at radio catalog
Martin ran around with Joe Burgess during the mid 1950's. Joe's Dad and Mom had the Bus Station, so we'd often hang out there. The Burgess family moved to Silver City, New Mexico in the late 1950's. Unfortunately in a race to see who could get from the bus station to Martin's home the fastest Joe & Martin ran into each other on their bicycles in front of Dr. Lockhart's clinic. hence Joe's bandaged arm on the right. Joe is pictured with his incredibly cool dog Zip. Joe also got his Ham license and for awhile Martin and Joe could exchange messages.
Joe came to visit in Alpine in 1968
David Forchheimer in Martin's ham radio shack (Central school out window).
Martin's ham radio shack
Martin's ham radio shack
Carol, Donna Lynn, Nina and Martin at the Ft. Stockton swimming pool
AHS dance band at Central Grade School gym party
Martin's sister Peggy with John King at their Alpine High School prom
Martin "Buddy" Theophilus, Margaret & George Crerar, Peggy, Margaret "Peg" and Oliver "Ollie" Theophilus on a Sunday in 1962
Grandma Crerar at the Santa Elena canyon in the Big Bend
Martin's first date was with Linda Powers (seen left at the Alpine Country Club and right in photo with Martin in 1984). At 14, Martin didn't have his driver's license and was mortified when his Dad honked as he drove up to her house, as he always did when picking up Martin's other friends. Martin had his Dad drive around the block.
Martin and Donna Lyn at HS prom (walking together, not going together)
Alpine High School band program, May 14, 1959
Martin's Grandmother Margaret (rt) with Her Sister Ina
Margaret and George Crerar. Martin's Grandparents 50th Wedding Anniversary, July 3, 1962
Margaret and George Crerar. Martin's Grandparents 50th Wedding Anniversary, July 3, 1962
Cats in parents room
Ben in Martin's room
Palmer Coats, George Cooley, Martin & Sue Bradford
Martin played trumpet in Alpine High School band
Palmer
In grade school Martin's friend Bill Stovell introduced Martin to Carl and Alice Williams. Carl was Alpine's new Texas Highway
Patrolman. Alice and Carl had the boys over for breakfast often on Saturdays and Martin participated in Carl's Boy Scout pack and eventually was part of the Air Explorer Squadron formed by Carl. This also evolved into Martin's membership in the Brewster County Rescue Squad.
Pics from Carl Williams - Brewster County rescue Squad. When Martin was in High School, he joined the Rescue Squad. Often he would join others in fighting area grass fires and assist in hunting for lost hunters in the Davis Mountains. Riding in the back of the truck above left Martin with a bruised rib.
Carl, Alice, Martin & Chris in 2007.
Pics from Carl Williams - Brewster County rescue Squad - Alice, Michael, Renee Bill Stovell & David Teplicek >
Pics from Carl Williams - Brewster County rescue Squad
Martin Brewster County rescue Squad
Martin and Lee McCollum in the Air Explorers. The jeep that Lee's driving was our "emergency rescue vehicle." However , it would only go 45 mph, so people would be passing us out on the highway, even though our lights and siren was blaring.
All the Explorers got together on a cold Winters day to paint the rescue truck. We painted it in an abandoned service station and kept the windows closed. We also were drinking beer and smoking cigars, so with the paint, there were a bunch of sick kids.
Sue Bradford and Martin's Red Ford Falcon 1962. Sue worked with Martin delivering newspapers from Fort Stockton to Balmorphea, Fort Davis, Marfa, Marathon and Alpine.
Unfortunately Martin rolled his Mom's 1962 Tan Ford Falcon while traveling too fast on wet pavement. Luckily no one was hurt. Sue and Martin were taken by Brewster County Sheriff Jim Skinner to the Big Bend Telephone office where Carl Williams was working temporarily while campaigning for the Sheriff's office. Martin asked Carl to call his parents and let them know what happened. Martin's driving was hard on his parents because in the first year of having a drivers license, he had 3 accidents with his parents cars.
Martin ran around with Sue Bradford and ended up with a crush on her. For her birthday in October 1962, Martin bought a Princess phone for Sue with the help of her cousin Phyllis Carol Avant. Martin was crushed when Sue invited her Fort Stockton boyfriend to the party and left. Carol became a supportive friend subsequently. Carol & Martin 1965 (above)
Carol & Martin with grandparents and aunts from Ohio
George Cooley worked with Martin on Martin's Dad's newspaper 
distribution. Every day during the first part of the Summer of 1962 we drove from Alpine to Fort Stockton to pick up the Odessa American newspapers and distribute them to Monahans, Imperial, Balmorphea, Fort Davis, Marfa, Alpine and Marathon. The red 1961 
Falcon was rolled by Martin in 1962 half way between Alpine and Ft. Stockton.
Martin's parents would roll back their carpet and let the kids have small dances in their living room. Guess it kept them off the streets! Above Carol & Martin
Palmer and George in Theophilus' living room. 1963
Twin Sisters from SR Mountain - video
Carol's room and horse collection
Carol Junior Senior Prom
Martin contracted Yellow Jaundice in 1964. Carol visited, but kept her distance
Some of Martin's records 1964
Carl Williams ran for Sheriff in 1964 and won.
Dad & Martin and Carol looking at Cousin Sandy's horse in Louisiana while visiting Martin's Uncle Bud and Aunt Elsie in 1965
Martin began playing trumpet in the 5th grade and majored in Music at Sul Ross. Here in Alpine High uniform 1961. An Alpine band concert program
Carol 1964 - Twirler for Alpine High School
Palmer Coats, Carol (second from left) 1964 - Twirlers for Alpine High School with Debbie Boyson, Donna Mueller
Alpine High School band in parade in 1967
Martin in AHS Maskers drama club
Alpine High School gym with Coach & Brodie
Alpine High School lunch hour crowd 1964
Alpine High School gym Home Economic building 1964
Alpine High School gym 2007 fire - MB Lockhart photo
Carol in recording studio that was built into Martin's parents' home
Martin's Mom playing with Pepper
Martin on Texas coast
Battleship Texas as seen from the San Jacinto Monument
Alpine from the air mid 60's - view video
Brewster County Sheriff Carl Williams and DPS Officer Jean Pate
Tom, Peggy,Peg, Ollie, Aunt Ina, Martin,Margaret (M's Grandmother), Carol & Uncle – movie
Karl Karvonen, Margaret Crerar, Peggy Karnonen, Tom Karvonen, Peg Theophilus, George Karvonen, Pepper and Blue Ford Falcon (was red before Martin rolled it with George Cooley between Alpine and Fort Stockton)
Martin's Mom was fascinated by the Marfa Lights from the time she and his father arrived in three Big Bend area. Judith M. Brueske, Ph.D. dedicated her book The Marfa Lights to Martin's Mom, Peg Theophilus
Phil and LaFawn Avant at their home in Alpine, Texas
Carol was elected Band Sweetheart in 1964 and Martin was her escort.
Carol & Claude Guillemet the French foreign exchange student on the River Road 1964 - view video with Carol, Martin, Donna, Larry and Claude
Alpine High School Senior Trip on the Mexico railroad through Chihuahua, Mexico and on to Topolobampo & Los Mochos 1964
Grandma Crerar with Karl & George Karvonen
Martin's Alpine High School Graduation invitation May 1964
Joe Burgess, Carol & Martin around 1964 during Joe's visit to Alpine from NM.
SR Mountain from "A" mountain during freshman painting
In September 1964, Martin received a Music scholarship to Sul Ross State College in Alpine. In addition to continuing to record area original bands, he provided the recording services for the Sul Ross Music Department. With Carol and Music major Louis "Corky" Thornton, Martin recorded all the recitals, choir and band concerts during the four years he worked on his Bach of Music degree.
1965 Tom Karvonen, Martin, Carol, Margaret Crerar, George Crerar, Ollie Theophilus, Peg Theophilus, John Crerar, Ina Krogstad, Peggy & Karl • view movie from that period
Carol and Martin delivering magazines for Martin's Dad 1963 - 1966. They also picked up the Odessa American papers in Monahans and drove them to Ft. Stockton, Ft. Davis, Marfa, Marathon and Alpine.
Carol & Martin's 1966 Mustang between Alpine & Ft Stockton. The Mustang was bought jointly while still dating. The car was special ordered from Brewster County motors. We knew it would be shipped and pass through Alpine on the train en route to El Paso where it had to be trucked back. So we kept our eyes on the trains passing through. - view video
Dingo Drive-In Alpine
Martin's parents office building next to their home. it served as a print shop, magazine and book distribution center and eventually a Book Store and Hallmark Card shop.
Sul Ross Band preparing to play for Lady Bird Johnson's arrival at the Marfa Army Airbase to attend the Fort Davis National Historic Site dedication. Tony Bronze, Carol & Martin in center of photo. GO to MORE ABOUT MARFA, TEXAS
Mom at Fort Davis dedication talking to Lady Bird Johnson. Mom gave Lady Bird some agate from the area.
Sue, Lee, Tim Eicholtz & Robert Graham at Peggy & Toms' wedding. The air Explorers were supposed to be guarding Peggy & Tom's car, however my Dad enticed the guards into the church with ice cream and the car was creamed.
Lee & Juda wedding - Mr. & Mrs. Fred Moore with Mr. & Mrs. Frank McCollum. Fred Moore allowed Martin to ride with him in the Alpine Police car which resulted in the strong interest Martin had for law enforcement.
Lee & Juda married
Lee & Juda married
Martin's Mom & Dad , Nov 22, 1966 - 25th wed anniversary
Carol with Horse corral
Martin with Carol in Alpine Highland Sound Company studio 1966 (built into Martin's parent' house
During holidays, Martin & Carol took care of Sully the Wolf mascot for Sul Ross University in 1966. Watch movie of Sul Ross University mascot "Sully" in 1966.
Sully at Sul Ross football game
Tom, Peggy, Martin and Carol 1967
view video of Alpine in Snow 1967?
Carol beside water running between Ft Davis and Balmorhea around 1967
Margaret Theophilus (Martin's Mom) teaching Ceramics at Sul Ross State University. She'd taught art and industrial arts in the Marathon school system and came back to teach at Sul Ross.
Martin's Dad always liked surprises. Every year he would wrap a huge box for my mother that contained any number of smaller boxes. This year he gave her a ring celebrating their years together. View video of Christmas celebration at the Theophilus home.
Carol (Phyllis) Avant in College Who's Who
Sul Ross Football field
Carol Thompson & Corky at Balmorphea State Park
Carol and Martin at Balmorphea State Park
Carol at Balmorphea State Park
Carol at Balmorphea State Park
Alpine, Texas 1966
1966 - Carol and martin flying over the Big Bend National Park with M's Mom and Grandmother
Big Bend National Park from the air 1966
Big Bend National Park from the air 1966
Big Bend National Park from the air 1966
Cathedral Mountain South of Alpine from the air 1966
