TITLE: In memory of Dale Ralph "Cactus" Martin, a former member of the Plano Fire Department.

SUMMARY: In memory of Dale Ralph "Cactus" Martin, a former member of the Plano Fire Department.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The life of an admired former member of the Plano Fire Department drew to a close on March 9, 2010, with the passing of Dale Ralph "Cactus" Martin; and WHEREAS, Born in Cleveland, Ohio, on September 17, 1932, Dale Martin moved with his family to Grand Prairie in 1945; he married the former Elsie Guessett in 1956 and together they raised three sons, Rickey, Ronnie, and Jeffrey; and WHEREAS, Mr. Martin worked for Lone Star Boats and relocated with them to Plano; in 1969, he joined the Plano Fire Department and was given the nickname "Cactus" by the fire chief when he reported for a shift with cactus needles in his hands as a result of a landscaping job the day before; and WHEREAS, This dedicated firefighter served the department with distinction for 21 years, demonstrating the courage and skill that are synonymous with that profession, and his efforts helped safeguard the lives and property of his fellow citizens; and WHEREAS, After retiring in 1990, he continued to assist others by working as a volunteer at the Plano Senior Recreation Center; he and Mrs. Martin took the opportunity to travel extensively, and they were also active members of the congregation at Murphy Road Baptist Church in Murphy; and WHEREAS, Devoted to his family and his community, Dale Martin lived a caring and purposeful life, and he is remembered with great fondness and respect by his fellow firefighters and all who had the good fortune to know him; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Dale Ralph "Cactus" Martin and extend sincere condolences to his family, his friends, and his former colleagues; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Dale Martin. Madden Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1880 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on May 19, 2011. Chief Clerk of the House