SR0804 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0804 LRB097 21802 KXB 70402 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Corporal Alex Martinez, a United States Marine Corps member, was killed in action while nobly serving his country conducting combat operations in the Helmand Province, Afghanistan; and

WHEREAS, Corporal Martinez was part of the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion of the 1st Marine Division out of Camp Pendleton, California; and

WHEREAS, Corporal Martinez was born and raised in Elgin, where he attended Harriet Gifford Elementary, Abbott Middle School, and Larkin High School; by the time he was a junior at Larkin High School, he knew he wanted to be a Marine; and

WHEREAS, His desire to serve his country stemmed from his family history of service, as his father, Enrique Martinez, is a longtime Navy reservist and his aunt served in the Army; and

WHEREAS, Corporal Martinez married his high school sweetheart, Julianna in 2008; and then graduated early from high school in 2009; a few weeks after turning 18, Corporal Martinez enlisted in the Marine Corps and left for boot camp the next month; and

WHEREAS, Corporal Martinez was on his second deployment to Afghanistan when he was killed; and

WHEREAS, Corporal Martinez hoped to start a family with his wife as soon as he completed his service and dreamed of someday becoming a firefighter; and

WHEREAS, His faith was very important to Corporal Martinez, who attended Life Changers International Church; and

WHEREAS, Corporal Alex Martinez is survived by his wife, Julianna Martinez; his mother, Socorro Bethke; his stepfather, Jim Bethke; his father, Enrique Martinez; and his siblings: Eileen Bethke, James Bethke, Jenny Martinez, Brandon Martinez, Nicholas Martinez, and Ilyana Martinez; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with his family, friends, and a grateful nation, the passing of Corporal Alex Martinez; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we honor the memory of Corporal Alex Martinez and his willingness to serve his country, which led to him making the ultimate sacrifice; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Corporal Alex Martinez as a symbol of our sincere sympathy.