[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19335]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING THE LIFE AND MEMORY OF GERALDINE MARTIN AND EXPRESSING 
                        SYMPATHY ON HER PASSING

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM COLE

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 24, 2009

  Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a woman that could 
teach us all a thing or two about love and compassion. Geraldine Martin 
is currently looking down on us from Heaven where last month she was 
reunited with the love of her life, Jesse, her husband of 63 years. A 
mother of four, grandmother of nine and great-grandmother of six, 
family was her first thought in the morning and last thought at night.
  When complications from birth left her son Cecil with special needs, 
she became a crusader for children with challenges. From coaching 
Special Olympics for two decades to establishing the Power Shop, 
helping children meet and exceed their potential was a calling 
Geraldine gladly answered. A dedicated volunteer at the Bethel Assembly 
of God and a professional banker for nearly four decades, she retired 
as vice president of the First Bank and Trust of Velma, Oklahoma in 
2003 to enjoy her family, her volunteer work, sewing, gardening and, of 
course, drinking coffee on her back porch.
  Geraldine considered her legacy to be her family and today, on behalf 
of myself and the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Brady, we honor her and 
offer them our sincerest condolences. She leaves behind two daughters, 
Sharon Frame and her husband Larry of Oklahoma City, and Gail Clark and 
her husband Joe of Krum, Texas; two sons: Jesse Martin and his wife, 
Vicki, of Edmond, Oklahoma, and Cecil Ray Martin. She is also survived 
by three sisters: Betty Stanley and Margaret Tiemann, both of 
Goldthwaite, Texas, and Kay Nixon and her husband, Bill, of Anaheim, 
California, and one brother, Jackie Sherrill and his wife, Peggy, of 
Memphis, Tennessee. She will be especially missed by her nine wonderful 
grandchildren and six great-grandchildren and her many friends and 
admirers.
  Madam Speaker, I want to thank Geraldine Martin for showing us all 
how to live a great life and extend our greatest sympathy to her 
family.

                          ____________________