Kelly J. Martino

Musician, conductor, professor, teacher, activist Kelly Martino [1940-2022] died peacefully at home in Houston, TX, on March 31. He was 81. A former Toledo resident, he taught at Bowling Green State U. As a professor, he taught music and/or English at the University of North Texas, Sam Houston State, Northern Colorado State, the University of Kansas at Lawrence, and the University of Vienna in Austria. He also taught in Texas public schools where he was one-time conductor of the All-State Orchestra.

He retired in 1996 and moved to Austin, then to Vienna, Austria. A former member of the Houston GLBT Political Caucus, Queer Nation, ACT-UP, the Austin Lesbian-Gay Political Caucus, Equality Texas, Dignity Toledo and Dignity Houston, he was also a member of and a board member in the Houston Federation of Teachers. He actively volunteered for the AIDS Hotline, and to lobby for increased teacher pay and benefits, and for the TX James Byrd-Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act. He was a continual donor to St. Jude's Hospital, the ACLU, and the SPLC.

A memorial service was held June 17 at the Bradshaw-Carter Funeral Home in Houston. He is survived by his spouse, Patrick MW Johnson.