|
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
WHEREAS, Former State Representative Thomas Jefferson "Tom" |
|
Martin Jr. passed away on October 30, 2023, at the age of 88, |
|
bringing a great loss to his family and friends; and |
|
WHEREAS, The son of Alberta Martin and T. J. "Jeff" Martin |
|
Sr., Tom Martin was born in Poteet on April 2, 1935; when he was |
|
small, his family moved from Christine to George West to be closer |
|
to the "big ranch," La Campana; after graduating from George West |
|
High School, he decided to see some of the country, attending Texas |
|
A&M University-Kingsville, the University of Nevada, and Kent State |
|
University in Ohio; he completed his education at Oklahoma Baptist |
|
University, where he met his future wife, the former Jean Jones; |
|
their 54-year marriage was made even richer with the addition of a |
|
daughter, Angela, and a son, T. J. "Jeff" Martin III; eventually, |
|
their treasured family grew to include two grandchildren, T. J. and |
|
Ray, the sixth generation of Martins in McMullen County; and |
|
WHEREAS, Mr. Martin went to work with his father, managing |
|
La Campana, which at one time extended over Live Oak, McMullen, and |
|
Duval Counties, along with two smaller ranches, the Lopez in |
|
Atascosa County and the Lawhorn in northern McMullen County; one of |
|
the original advocates for the Santa Gertrudis Breeders |
|
International cattle association, he won numerous awards for his |
|
success in advancing "America's original beef breed"; and |
|
WHEREAS, In 1976, Mr. Martin won election to the Texas House |
|
of Representatives; during two terms in office, he served on a |
|
number of committees, including Agriculture and Livestock, Energy |
|
Resources, and the House Joint Committee on the State Energy Plan; |
|
he was chair of the Energy Resources Subcommittee on Appropriative |
|
Matters and vice chair of the Environmental Affairs Subcommittee on |
|
Pollution Control; and |
|
WHEREAS, Mr. and Mrs. Martin were enthusiastic world |
|
travelers, and they went scuba diving in the South Pacific, cruised |
|
the Nile, and explored European castles; an avid reader as well, |
|
Mr. Martin was particularly interested in architecture, history, |
|
and following his favorite basketball, baseball, and football |
|
teams; he was preceded in death by his wife and his sister, Alberta |
|
"Bette" Mason, as well as his parents; and |
|
WHEREAS, Tom Martin touched the lives of innumerable people |
|
through his generosity and compassion, and although he is deeply |
|
missed, his family and friends will forever treasure their memories |
|
of his thoughtful nature, his wry sense of humor, and the honor and |
|
humility with which he carried himself; now, therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
|
Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of |
|
the Honorable Thomas Jefferson "Tom" Martin Jr. and extend sincere |
|
sympathy to the members of his family: Angela Martin, Chantel |
|
Foretich, Jeff Martin III, Melaine Martin, Jamie Locke, Glenda |
|
Locke, T. J. Martin IV, and Ray Martin; and to his many other |
|
relatives and friends; and, be it further |
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
|
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Tom Martin. |
|
|
Guillen |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Speaker of the House |
|
|
I certify that H.R. No. 150 was unanimously adopted by a |
|
rising vote of the House on November 7, 2023. |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
|