[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 18181-18182]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      IN MEMORIAL OF CONGRESSMAN DAVID O'BRIEN MARTIN OF NEW YORK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 20, 2012

  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Kentucky, Mr. Rogers, and I 
share the sad news of the passing of our colleague, David O'Brien 
Martin, originally of Canton, New York, who died with his wife Dana by 
his side on November 20 at his home in Hedgesville, West Virginia, at 
the age of 68.
  Representative Martin is survived by his children, Victoria (Duskas), 
Kelly (Bridges) and Julia (Bassett); two grandchildren, Jacqueline 
Victoria and William O'Brien; a stepson Michael McGee, a stepdaughter 
Kimberly Travis and, shared with his wife, eleven grandchildren and a 
great-granddaughter. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews.
  Congressman Martin, who was a commissioned officer in the Marine 
Corps and served in Vietnam, will be interned at Arlington National 
Cemetery on January 4, 2013.
  We had the honor of being elected to Congress with Dave in 1980 as 
part of the Reagan wave. He served on the Permanent Select Committee on 
Intelligence and on the Armed Services Committee, where he was the 
senior Republican on the Military Installations Subcommittee and vice 
chair of the Morale, Welfare and Recreational Panel.
  Dave O'B. Martin will be remembered for his indelible footprint on 
the North Country, where his efforts led to the revitalization of Fort 
Drum and the reactivation of the Army's storied light infantry 
division, the 10th Mountain Division. It has been reported that his 
efforts led to an influx of over $1.3 billion to the local economy to 
construct the post.
  We also submit for the Record an article by The Watertown Daily Times 
further noting his service to the North Country and the nation.
  Dave O'B. Martin served with us for six terms before electing to 
retire.
  Dave enjoyed history, particularly related to the Civil War. He will 
be remembered for his friendly demeanor and storytelling ability.
  We offer our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to Dana and his family.

                   [From the Watertown Daily Times, 
                             Nov. 23, 2012]

          Martin, Former North Country Congressman, Dies at 68

                           (By Roger Dupuis)

       David O'Brien Martin's roots in the north country ran deep. 
     His legacy may run deeper still.
       The former Republican congressman, who represented the 
     north country from 1981 to 1993, died Tuesday night at his 
     home in Hedgesville, W.Va. He was remembered by friends and 
     colleagues for his commitment to serving the region, perhaps 
     best exemplified by his efforts to bring the 10th Mountain 
     Division to Fort Drum in the 1980s.
       ``For those of us in the north country, his work truly 
     changed our lives,'' said Secretary of the Army John M. 
     McHugh--who, like Mr. Martin, formerly represented the region 
     in Congress.
       Mr. Martin, 68, was with his family and under hospice care 
     when he died, said Steven M. Cary of O'Leary Funeral Service 
     in Canton. The cause of death was not disclosed.
       Services are scheduled for next week in West Virginia, 
     followed by calling hours Dec. 3 at O'Leary, 5821 Route 11, 
     Mr. Cary said. Mass will be said Dec. 4 at St. Mary's-
     Catholic Church, 66 Court St., Canton. Burial plans were not 
     finalized as of Thursday evening, he said.
       Mr. Martin served in Vietnam, and was a commissioned 
     officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. A graduate of the 
     University of Notre Dame, he resumed his studies upon 
     returning to civilian life. He earned a law degree from 
     Albany Law School in 1973, the same year he was elected to 
     the St. Lawrence County Board of Legislators.
       Following three years in county government, Mr. Martin rose 
     quickly, serving in the state Assembly from 1977 until the 
     end of 1980, the year he was elected to the first of six 
     terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
       It was just four years later, at the Watertown American 
     Legion post, that Mr. Martin broke the news that the storied 
     light infantry division would be reactivated in Northern New 
     York.
       ``His incredible effort to revitalize Fort Drum and bring 
     the 10th Mountain Division to our doorstep brought renewed 
     sense of vitality and purpose to the region,'' Mr. McHugh 
     said Wednesday.
       More than $1.3 billion was spent on construction on the 
     post from 1985 to 1993, during Mr. Martin's tenure in 
     Washington, according to a 2006 Times article.
       ``He probably did more for the north country than anyone 
     has,'' said former Republican state Sen. H. Douglas Barclay, 
     Pulaski.

[[Page 18182]]

     ``It's a sad day for the north country. He was a great guy, a 
     great friend and a wonderful public servant, both in the 
     Assembly and in Congress.''
       While in Congress, Mr. Martin was a member of the Committee 
     on Armed Services for 10 years, serving as senior Republican 
     member of the Military Installations Subcommittee and vice 
     chairman of the Morale, Welfare and Recreational Panel, 
     overseeing military commissaries, exchanges and related 
     activities. He also served on the House Permanent Select 
     Committee on Intelligence.
       While Mr. Martin's commitment to the nation and the region 
     loom large, so do the contributions he and his family made to 
     St. Lawrence County. His father, Edson A. Martin, donated the 
     land for SUNY Canton in the early 1960s. The younger Mr. 
     Martin's longtime advocacy was honored by the college in 2006 
     with an honorary doctorate of laws.
       ``Congressman Martin was a wonderful supporter of SUNY 
     Canton and the north country,'' Interim SUNY Canton President 
     Carli C. Schiffner said Wednesday. ``He assisted the college 
     in many ways throughout his career, and he dedicated much of 
     his life to furthering the development of Fort Drum, our 
     schools and our communities.''
       There was life after Congress for Mr. Martin. After 
     deciding not to run in 1992, Mr. Martin became a professor at 
     the Naval War College in Newport, R.I., and later an 
     executive with soft-drink trade groups. He founded a 
     government affairs, consulting and marketing firm in 2000.
       It was in that role that then-SUNY Canton president Joseph 
     L. Kennedy observed Mr. Martin's clout and camaraderie first 
     hand during a visit to Washington.
       ``He was just known by everybody. He could walk us through 
     security without waiting in line,'' said Mr. Kennedy, who 
     stepped down this fall after 19 years in the post. ``I 
     admired his spunk.''
       SUNY Potsdam also had cause to mourn the former 
     congressman, and to celebrate his accomplishments. Mr. 
     Martin's papers are held in the college archives, ``so that 
     all can remember and learn from his life's work,'' SUNY 
     Potsdam President John F. Schwaller said.
       Times staff writer Brian Kelly contributed to this report.

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