John Martin Lara

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake”.

John Martin Lara was born on September 13, 1960, in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico. He was the 8^th of nine (9) siblings born to the blessed matrimony of his parents Gilberto Lara Borjón and María del Refugio Fausto de Lara from Fresnillo, Zacatecas in Mexico. He passed away on March 15, 2024, at the age of 63 in Houston, Texas surrounded by his loving family.

He is survived by his four children: Stephanie Nicole Lara (Shoff), Melissa Celeste Lara (Benavides), Michelle Raquel Lara (Penny) and John Zachary Lara and six (6) grandchildren; Gabriel Nathaniel Benavides, Arabella Divina Shoff, Leilani Raquel Penny, Ariana Cosette Shoff, Arya Jonae Shoff and Arian Asher Shoff.

His brothers and sisters; Socorro Morales, Gilberto Lara Jr., Antonio Lara (deceased), María del Consuelo “Connie” Lara, Olivia Lara, Gerardo “Gerry” Lara, Alicia Lara and Mary Helen Lara and numerous nephews and nieces. 

“Johnny” as he was called by his friends and family, was a resident of Houston, Texas. A vivid sports fan that supported the Texans, the Astros, and the Houston Rockets. His brothers and sisters remembered him as enjoying a happy upbringing and riding his bicycle in the neighborhood. He was extroverted and funny to those who were close to him and very well liked by his friends, co-workers, and peers. He had extraordinary skills as a Draftsman and Welder alongside his dad and lived his life quietly, simple, and with humility, never judged anyone, and was always eager to enjoy a cold beer with his close friends. He was an enthusiast of 70’s music and classic Rock-n-Roll. He loved his hair and joked about it with his family. One of his passions, although unable to enjoy it as much as he wished, was fishing in the Galveston area. 

He is missed and remembered by his family whom he impacted by his quiet way of living and how he loved them in his own and unique manner.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long”. Psalm 23