[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 137 (Friday, October 12, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1884]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO THE LATE TONY MARTINEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JOE BACA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 12, 2001

  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, it is with regret and deep sadness that I rise 
to honor Tony Martinez, former constituent from Colton, California who 
passed away on October 4, 2001. I cannot begin to express how saddened 
I am by the passing of my friend Tony Martinez. All men die, but not 
all men really live; we can honestly say that Tony lived. He was a 
model citizen, community leader, father, grandfather, great-
grandfather, and an extraordinary man.
  Tony Martinez was born in Colton but lived in Redlands for most of 
his life. Tony was a remarkable example of humanity. He left high 
school at sixteen to start his own trucking company, and until the day 
he was drafted to fight in World War II, he hauled fertilizer, fruits, 
and vegetables from Mexicali to Los Angeles. When Tony returned from 
the war he moved to East Los Angeles, where he had his first taste of 
politics.
  The California Community Service Organization was in its infancy and 
Ed Roybal, later to become Congressman and the father of Californian 
Latino politics, needed good men and women to help fight for Latino 
civil rights. Tony Martinez jumped headfirst and worked alongside the 
likes of Ed Roybal and Cesar Chavez to improve the lot in life of the 
average Latino. In the words of Congressman Ed Roybal, ``Tony is a man 
of great integrity . . . active in community affairs.'' Tony and Ed 
knew each other for over forty years and held each other in the highest 
esteem.
  Tony Martinez moved to Redlands in 1952 and since then became a 
fixture of the community. He worked hard every day to provide to his 
family and to improve his community. In 1973 he helped save the local 
Head Start program and soon after dedicated himself to the building of 
a community senior center. Tony was unyielding and unwavering in his 
dedication to this dream and his community. Tomorrow, the Redlands 
Community Center/Senior Nutrition Center will celebrate Tony's life to 
thank him for his selfless dedication. Although he was defeated three 
times for Redlands City Council, he never lost his faith in the 
community or the democratic process. In fact, he was one of the leading 
voices in a successful ballot measure to create city council wards, 
after the city council voted to eliminate them.
  Thanksgiving is a time of the year for family unity and to thank the 
blessings God has given us. Predictably, Tony had his own way to thank 
God for all his blessings; his daughter Anita remembers, ``I was seven 
years old and saw my dad dressed as Santa Claus taking pictures with 
the local kids and then he would make us all race over to the community 
center to hand out turkeys to poor families.'' If Tony was not busy 
showing the kids at the Boys and Girls Club to box, he was busy with 
his home-operated charity to fight poverty and hunger--Su Casa de 
Amistad. Not a single day was ever wasted. Tony used to say, ``anyone 
staying in front of the TV drinking beer is not going to last on this 
world.'' Tony Martinez is proof that we can live life to the fullest 
until our last day. At the age of 82, until the day he died, he worked 
tirelessly for his community. We will all miss you.
  Tony Martinez is survived by his wife Rosa Martinez, five children 
(Tony, Michael, Rebecca, Maria, and Anita), eight grandchildren, and 
three great-grandchildren. Tony is irreplaceable and we will not live 
one day without remembering this kind and gentle man.

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