SLS 17RS-2510 ORIGINAL
2017 Regular Session
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 118
BY SENATOR MORRISH AND REPRESENTATIVE GUINN
CONDOLENCES. Expresses condolences upon the death of former state representative and
mayor of Welsh, James Paul "Jimmy" Martin.
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To express the sincere condolences of the Legislature of Louisiana upon the death of James
3 Paul "Jimmy" Martin, former state representative and mayor of Welsh.
4 WHEREAS, it was with great sorrow of spirits and sadness of hearts that the
5 members of the Legislature of Louisiana received word of the transition on May 21, 2017,
6 of James Paul "Jimmy" Martin, who ably served the residents of District No. 37 in the House
7 of Representatives from 1972 to 1992; Jimmy Martin was eighty-eight years old; and
8 WHEREAS, James was born to Dr. and Mrs. Claude A. Martin on March 10, 1929;
9 he was the youngest of his siblings, Gertrude Martin Fernholz, Kathleen Martin Power, and
10 Abbot Matthew Martin, all of whom preceded him in death; and
11 WHEREAS, Jimmy graduated from St. Stanislaus College in Bay St. Louis,
12 Mississippi, in 1946, attended Southwestern Louisiana Institute of Lafayette, and received
13 a bachelor of science degree from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama; and
14 WHEREAS, Jimmy Martin answered the call of duty to his country and served in the
15 United States Army from 1951 to 1953 in the Korean War; after his military service, he
16 worked as an agent and field underwriter for New York Life; and
17 WHEREAS, in 1956, Jimmy married the love of his life, Bernadine Fontenot, and
18 was a loving husband to Bernadine for sixty-one years until his death; he was a committed
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1 father and grandfather who cherished the love of his family; and
2 WHEREAS, in 1967, Jimmy Martin was elected mayor of Welsh, Louisiana, and was
3 reelected without opposition in 1971, but after serving one year of his second term as mayor,
4 he was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1972 and served five terms as
5 the representative of his constituents in Jefferson Davis Parish and East Calcasieu; Jimmy
6 joined a group of dynamic legislators known as "The Young Turks" and helped usher in
7 sweeping changes in legislative protocol and policies; and
8 WHEREAS, during his twenty years as a state representative, Jimmy Martin served
9 on the House Committee on Appropriations, the House Committee on House and
10 Governmental Affairs, the House Committee on Retirement, and the House Committee on
11 Municipal, Parochial and Cultural Affairs; he served as chairman of the House Legislative
12 Services Council and the House Committee on Agriculture; and
13 WHEREAS, a faithful parishioner of Our Lady of Seven Dolors Parish in Welsh,
14 Jimmy Martin served the youth of Louisiana as a member of the Boy Scouts of America and
15 was a member of the executive board of the Calcasieu Area Boy Scouts; he was awarded the
16 Silver Beaver Emblem; Mr. Martin also was a charter member of the East Deanery Sierra
17 Club, a member of the Welsh Rotary Club, and a member of Welsh Council No. 2855
18 Knights of Columbus and was a grand knight, a charter member of the Monsignor Peter's
19 Assembly of the Fourth Degree, and received the Fourth Degree Order of Merit in 1984 for
20 his generous services to the community; and
21 WHEREAS, in 1990, Representative Martin was named by Pope John Paul II as a
22 knight of the Pontifical Equestrian Order of Pope Saint Sylvester and was invested in the
23 order at the tenth anniversary of the Diocese of Lake Charles during the Honors
24 Convocation; and
25 WHEREAS, in 1993, Jimmy Martin was once again elected mayor of his hometown
26 of Welsh; he was inducted into the St. Stanislaus College Hall of Fame on April 8, 2000; and
27 WHEREAS, left to cherish the memory of James Paul Martin are his wife Bernadine,
28 his children and their spouses, Claude Martin, Andree Martin Hainkel, John Hainkel, John
29 Martin, and Robert Mericle; his grandchildren Victor Martin, Alexandra Hainkel, Roth
30 Hainkel, and Madilyn Martin; and his great-granddaughter Olivia Hainkel; those who knew
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1 and loved James Martin will miss his presence but may find comfort in wonderful memories
2 of good times shared with him that will remain forever.
3 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
4 extend deepest sympathies to the family and friends of former state representative and mayor
5 of Welsh, Louisiana, Jimmy Martin; does hereby express enduring gratitude and pride in the
6 many outstanding civic contributions Mr. Martin made to his community and his legislative
7 contributions to the state; and does hereby offer sincere thoughts and prayers for peace and
8 comfort to those who mourn the loss of one of Louisiana's finest sons.
9 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
10 family of Jimmy Martin.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jerry J. Guillot.
DIGEST
SCR 118 Original 2017 Regular Session Morrish
Expresses condolences upon the death of former state representative and mayor of Welsh,
James Paul "Jimmy" Martin.
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