Michael Stockton Marix

Michael Stockton Marix was born on January 31, 1935, in Manila, Philippines, to George Elliot Marix and Eileen Taylor Marix, and passed away in Houston, Texas, on March 9, 2026.

Raised in Los Angeles by his mother and aunt, Lottie Rose, Mike attended Los Angeles High School and Los Angeles City College before serving in the United States Army. His dry wit and sarcastic humor became hallmarks of his personality, often delighting family and friends with his distinctive sense of humor.

In 1955, while working at CBS Television in Los Angeles, Mike met Ann Larned, the woman he would credit with transforming his life. He often described her as the most selfless and elegant woman he had ever known and believed their meeting gave him a clear purpose: to provide for her and the family they would build together. The couple moved to Dallas in 1969 and then to Houston in 1972 as Mike advanced in the homebuilding industry. In 1977, he founded Marix Housing Corporation, developing numerous single-family communities, apartments, and condominiums throughout Houston. He was named Builder of the Year by the Greater Houston Builders Association in 1979 and served as its president in 1981.

After weathering the challenging real estate market of the mid-1980s, Mike returned to California and founded Cornerstone Developers, becoming a successful homebuilder in the Coachella Valley. In 2007, he sold the firm to Lennar and later established Cornerstone Investors, which owns and operates apartment communities. He often spoke with pride of the “Team” that helped make the company successful, particularly Jason Gayler, Kirk Freeman, and Susan Field. A lifelong enthusiast of fine automobiles, Mike achieved one of his proudest moments in 2007 when his restored 1958 Ferrari California Spyder won an award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

Mike returned to Houston in 2010 to be near family and took special delight in attending his grandchildren’s school and sporting events. He is survived by his daughter, Michelle “Shelli” Becken and her husband, Leon Becken, of Fallbrook, California; his son, Michael Taylor “Todd” Marix and his wife, Mary “Mimi” Marix, of Houston, Texas; and four grandchildren: Sarah Michelle Crook, William Taylor Crook, Anna Carlisle “Charlie” Marix, and Michael Hudson Marix. In his final years, he was lovingly cared for at The Tradition by Gemma Dela Cruz, Marissa Baguisa, and Kim Diala, to whom the family remains deeply grateful.