1-1                                     1
 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 304
 1-3                                  In Memory
 1-4                                     of
 1-5                            Richard Esmond Martin
 1-6           WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas joins the citizens
 1-7     of El Paso, Texas, in mourning the loss of Richard Esmond Martin,
 1-8     who died on February 18, 1999, at the age of 71; and
 1-9           WHEREAS, A well-known and beloved local philanthropist
1-10     and owner and president of the three Martin Funeral Homes,
1-11     Richard Martin lived most of his life in El Paso; he moved to the
1-12     West Texas city while in high school and after graduating from
1-13     El Paso High School in 1944 joined the United States Navy; and
1-14           WHEREAS, Richard Martin received an honorable discharge
1-15     from the United States Navy in 1946 after having served 18 months
1-16     of his two-year service on the aircraft carrier, USS Wake Island,
1-17     which helped in the invasion of Iwo Jima and Okinawa; and
1-18           WHEREAS, The death of his father caused him to return home
1-19     from Eckles College of Mortuary Science in Philadelphia,
1-20     Pennsylvania, before his graduation, but he completed his work
1-21     within a year to receive his Texas Funeral Directors License; and
1-22           WHEREAS, Richard Martin expanded the business that he
1-23     inherited from his father, Richard W. Martin, by adding two more
1-24     funeral homes to the original location his father had built in
 2-1     1935; the family celebrated 64 years of business in El Paso this
 2-2     year; and
 2-3           WHEREAS, Respected for his service to the community,
 2-4     Richard Martin was on the Chairman's Council of Service Corporation
 2-5     International, on the advisory board of Hotel Dieu Medical Center,
 2-6     a charter member of the board of directors of the Stanton Medical
 2-7     Building, a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus, a charter member of the
 2-8     Serra Club, a charter and life member of the Sertoma Club of
 2-9     El Paso, and the member of numerous veterans associations, including
2-10     the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars; and
2-11           WHEREAS, Richard Martin was a devout member of Saint Patrick
2-12     Cathedral and on July 17, 1971, was elected and pronounced by
2-13     Pope Paul VI as a Knight of the Order of Saint Gregory the Great of
2-14     the Civil Class, which was the highest honor a Catholic lay person
2-15     could receive from the church; and
2-16           WHEREAS, Richard Martin was a loving husband and father; his
2-17     warmth, giving nature, and humor will be missed by his family and
2-18     many friends; now, therefore, be it
2-19           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
2-20     76th Legislature, hereby extend heartfelt condolences to the
2-21     family of Richard Esmond Martin:  his wife, Juanita; his children,
2-22     Richard, William, Paul, Trudy, Cathy, Therese, and Carson; and his
2-23     13 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; and, be it further
2-24           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for the
2-25     members of his family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the
2-26     Texas Senate, and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so
 3-1     in memory of Richard E. Martin.
 3-2                                                               Shapleigh
 3-3                                  ______________________________________
 3-4                                         President of the Senate
 3-5                                       I hereby certify that the above
 3-6                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate
 3-7                                  on March 1, 1999, by a rising vote.
 3-8                                  ______________________________________
 3-9                                         Secretary of the Senate
3-10                                  ______________________________________
3-11                                           Member, Texas Senate