Sidekick LLC is a Houston-based, privately-owned and operated company specializing in locating unmarked graves and mapping cemeteries. Our primary focus is on African-, Anglo-, and Mexican-American burials from the 19th and 20th centuries and rural cemeteries throughout Texas.
Our mission–as your sidekick–is to get you the information you need to solve the dilemma that’s holding back you and your stakeholders (whether family, community, or business) from achieving your goals.
While we do help you achieve your goals by utilizing our High-Res 3D GPR surveys, our High-Precision GIS Maps & Directories, and our high standards, those are actually only the secondary part of our signature approach.
The primary part is our people.
When Michael began his PhD in geophysics at Texas A&M University, he thought he knew exactly where it would lead: starting a business to scan aquifers and pinpoint the best spots to drill for water. His earlier undergraduate research at Texas Tech had mapped rainwater recharge in the Ogallala Aquifer, and even his first jobs—ranging from rural New Mexico to his hometown of Fort Worth—revolved around aquifers.
But by the time he graduated with that PhD—after several hard yet joyful twists—his work had taken an unexpected turn. Instead of scanning aquifers, he started a business that scans cemeteries to locate unmarked graves. That venture has become its own hard and relentlessly joyful journey, as his Father, Savior, and Spirit continue to show him their unfailing love, power, and faithfulness every single day.
Michael is delighted to share life in Houston with his beloved wife, Mandy, and their miracle child. Mostly because it gets an incredible eye roll from his Aggie wife, he dreams of rounding out a “triple crown” of Texas degrees with either an MBA or an MA in English from the University of Texas.
Mandy began her undergraduate studies at Texas A&M in elementary education but quickly decided that career wasn’t for her. She opted instead for a BA in English Literature and a minor in history and joined the corporate world after graduation. Then, and very unexpectedly, God’s path brought her right back to the classroom—this time teaching kindergarten and theatre for several years at a wonderful private school. What began as a nerve-wracking journey soon became one of her sweetest and most joy-filled seasons.
After marrying Michael, Mandy continued teaching until the birth of their precious child. She then shifted gears to help build Sidekick LLC, where she manages the company’s website and online presence and serves as her husband’s trusted sounding board.
Outside of Sidekick, Mandy finds joy in baking, homeschooling her nieces and nephews, and reading mountains of books to her little one. More than anything, she treasures the daily reminders of God’s faithful hand, leading her in ways both ordinary and unexpected.
Maria Theresa
Toyota RAV4, Logistics Associate & Field HQ
In what seems to be a reoccurring theme at Sidekick, Maria Theresa also initially lacked any innate desire for or even awareness of locating unmarked graves as an occupation. After being manufactured at the Takaoka plant in Toyota City, Japan, in 2018, she was shipped to the United States later that year. She joined the Martin family awhile later and originally worked as a commuter vehicle and vacation trekker.
However, following the retirement of her predecessor Elizabeth II, she graciously accepted promotion to her current role. She has performed admirably since then, navigating endless asphalt, mitigating the intensity of subfreezing and broiling temperatures, and successfully hydroplaning across the occasional dirt-road-turned-mud-patch to reach remote sites.
Maria Theresa loves interacting with children and has never minded handling the random water spill, pulverized cracker, or completely forgotten cheese stick. That said, she also appreciates a good vacuum and detailing. When not working, she can be found enjoying relief from the Texas sun in some well deserved shade.