Jenn Martin's tribute to her dad, Jerry
Tribute to Jerome Martin
Born April 10, 1947
Died September 15, 2004
Car Accident, Napa Valley,
California
Written by his daughter, Jenn Martin, 9/17/04
DADDY WAS THE light of my life. He was the single most important person in the world to me. He was my best friend, my adviser, my rock.
I will not lie: The loss is something with which I do not know how to cope. Everyone tells me to be strong. They all tell me what a strong person I have always been and how much they have depended on my strength in their times of need. But right now, I cannot be strong. What happened is something I would have called Daddy to ask about how I was to cope and what to do with myself and with the rest of my life; I would have asked him how I was supposed to deal with this. But, obviously, I can't call Daddy. I can only speak to him in my mind, hope he hears, and hope he'll send me his strength and his advice.
Daddy amazed me. He was born into a family which was dirt poor. He didn't even have his own room—his room was the family's screened-in porch. But Daddy never complained. He took things as they came and dealt with them. And then he tried his damnedest to make a better life for himself and for his family and friends.
His accomplishments are beyond amazing! He went to college, majored in music. Then in 1977, he decided he didn't want me to grow up in a city like San Francisco where, at the time, crime rates were very high, and I could be hurt by the criminals and other bad seeds, so he packed up the family and flew us to Maui, Hawaii.
I adored growing up on Maui and wouldn't change it for the world. Maui is and always will be my home, and that is because Daddy wanted the best for me.
But what amazes me most is that Daddy went from 1st chair french horn player in 1978 in the then newly formed Maui Symphony Orchestra to the maestro of the entire orchestra in 1986! MY DAD! Conducting an orchestra!
But you know what? Even though Daddy was now in front of the orchestra, now that all eyes were focused upon him, I hated it! I had always been able to pick out his french horn playing above all others, and I missed that once he became the conductor. I missed hearing Daddy playing music.
Eventually I came to accept the fact that he was the conductor—even though it assured that I could never do anything even remotely naughty, because everyone on the small island of Maui now knew who my father was and would tell him. I would have to be Daddy's little angel.
Then Daddy became highly involved in the ILWU. It was his life outside the orchestra. And I was so proud of him! He was doing something he really believed in. Sure, it took him away from me a lot, but I knew his work was very important.
It was when he moved to California that I broke down. I thought he'd be with me in Hawaii forever. But even then, I learned to live with his move. I learned that I'd be able finally to get to see the city of my birth for the first time in more than 20 years.
Let me tell you who Jerry Martin was. He was a man dedicated to causes in which he believed. He was a man who put the needs of others before his own needs and desires. He was a man who lived to help the people around him.
Daddy was my hero—always will be my hero. I've been working on writing a biography about him. He had so many wonderful qualities that I can only hope I've inherited somehow.
Daddy was my life, my inspiration, my rock. Losing him from the physical world tears my heart to shreds. I'm not sure how I will go on without him—without being able to physically pick up the telephone and hear his voice telling me that whatever problem I was experiencing would work itself out.
But I do know he is in a better place now and that he will always be watching over me and all his loved ones. His good deeds will continue to grace us always and forever.
Daddy, I love you with all my heart and all my soul.
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