hojadepuro
eschew obfuscation
Hundreds gathered at the Fort Smith Convention Center to honor the memory of Officer Daniel C. Martinez. The 33 year old was shot to death last Friday while assisting a local woman who was attempting to remove her young son from the home of her estranged boyfriend.
His flag-draped coffin sat at the front of the auditorium. A row of flower arrangements lined the wall behind the casket. From the stage, community leaders sat in red chairs on either side of the podium awaiting their turn to remember Danny Martinez.
Reverend Don Hutchings described Martinez as a man devoted to his job and his family. He offered hope to Martinez's wife, Alice, and their five children: Kristin, Morgan, Amaya, Kenden, and Tanton.
After the bagpipes played, Fort Smith Police Chief Kevin Lindsey spoke, describing Martinez as a kind, generous person who spent twelve years serving in law enforcement in Arkansas and Oklahoma.
Lindsey spoke directly to Martinez, saying, "Danny, you've done all you can. We will continue to work for you."
Martinez's friend, Detective Danny Baker then rose to speak. "Danny was the best and finest America has to offer," he said. "He left the world better than he found it."
Baker went on to call Martinez the embodiment of a good man, brother and friend. In closing he said, "Rest easy, Danny, we'll cover your beat from here."
Rows of officers sat rigid in their seats, their uniforms starched and shoes shining. Many brought wives or girlfriends with them. Nearby Mayor Ray Baker sat, his usual sunny disposition ripped away. Friends of Martinez and those who didn't know the man but hoped to comfort the family sat side by side in the nearly packed auditorium.
Reverend A.J. Parrish approached the podium and offered sympathy and hope for the family. He finished by reciting this William Cullen Bryant poem:
So live, that when thy summons comes to join
The innumerable caravan which moves
To that mysterious realm where each shall take
His chamber in the silent halls of death,
Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night,
Scourged to his dungeon, but sustained and soothed
By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave
Like one that wraps the drapery of his couch
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams
The service continued with Chaplain Philip Pevehouse, who asked the crowd to imagine a world without officers like Martinez, those who stand between criminals and citizens. It is a world, he said, he would not want to live in.
Pevehouse said Martinex wanted to help create a world where children play in yards without fear, and rest easy at night in their homes. He died trying to make that world come to life.
He spoke of the night Martinez died and recounted when he arrived at the emergency room and met an officer who said of Martinez, "'He was the good one.'"
Pevehouse offered hope to the Martinez family and promised the force would stand by them. He added the promise Jesus made to his disciples to never leave them nor forsake them.
In his final condolence, Pevehouse said, "Today we say goodbye to a warrior. May we never forget the price those warriors pay."
One of the hardest days of my life so far. Danny and I were hired together and went to the Police Academy together. We all looked up to him because he had so much experience. He was a great person, loving husband, and dedicated officer. He will not soon be forgotten. Keep his family and everyone at the Police Department in your prayers. This is the first officer shot in the line of duty in Fort Smith in over 20 yrs.
The funeral was the most amazing experience I have ever been a part of. Police officers from every surrounding state traveled to Fort Smith and filled the auditorium. Then they filled up two other rooms where they watched by television. We transported the flag covered casket from Fort Smith, AR to Poteau, OK. The procession was about 3 miles long. Hundreds of police cars with their lights flashing, and people lining the streets for miles waving flags and signs. It was a moving experience for everyone involved. When I laid the casket on the grave site and saluted my brother and friend for the last time, I lost it. I hope the sacrifice our law enforcement makes on a daily basis is not easily forgotten.
Brandon
His flag-draped coffin sat at the front of the auditorium. A row of flower arrangements lined the wall behind the casket. From the stage, community leaders sat in red chairs on either side of the podium awaiting their turn to remember Danny Martinez.
Reverend Don Hutchings described Martinez as a man devoted to his job and his family. He offered hope to Martinez's wife, Alice, and their five children: Kristin, Morgan, Amaya, Kenden, and Tanton.
After the bagpipes played, Fort Smith Police Chief Kevin Lindsey spoke, describing Martinez as a kind, generous person who spent twelve years serving in law enforcement in Arkansas and Oklahoma.
Lindsey spoke directly to Martinez, saying, "Danny, you've done all you can. We will continue to work for you."
Martinez's friend, Detective Danny Baker then rose to speak. "Danny was the best and finest America has to offer," he said. "He left the world better than he found it."
Baker went on to call Martinez the embodiment of a good man, brother and friend. In closing he said, "Rest easy, Danny, we'll cover your beat from here."
Rows of officers sat rigid in their seats, their uniforms starched and shoes shining. Many brought wives or girlfriends with them. Nearby Mayor Ray Baker sat, his usual sunny disposition ripped away. Friends of Martinez and those who didn't know the man but hoped to comfort the family sat side by side in the nearly packed auditorium.
Reverend A.J. Parrish approached the podium and offered sympathy and hope for the family. He finished by reciting this William Cullen Bryant poem:
So live, that when thy summons comes to join
The innumerable caravan which moves
To that mysterious realm where each shall take
His chamber in the silent halls of death,
Thou go not, like the quarry-slave at night,
Scourged to his dungeon, but sustained and soothed
By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave
Like one that wraps the drapery of his couch
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams
The service continued with Chaplain Philip Pevehouse, who asked the crowd to imagine a world without officers like Martinez, those who stand between criminals and citizens. It is a world, he said, he would not want to live in.
Pevehouse said Martinex wanted to help create a world where children play in yards without fear, and rest easy at night in their homes. He died trying to make that world come to life.
He spoke of the night Martinez died and recounted when he arrived at the emergency room and met an officer who said of Martinez, "'He was the good one.'"
Pevehouse offered hope to the Martinez family and promised the force would stand by them. He added the promise Jesus made to his disciples to never leave them nor forsake them.
In his final condolence, Pevehouse said, "Today we say goodbye to a warrior. May we never forget the price those warriors pay."
One of the hardest days of my life so far. Danny and I were hired together and went to the Police Academy together. We all looked up to him because he had so much experience. He was a great person, loving husband, and dedicated officer. He will not soon be forgotten. Keep his family and everyone at the Police Department in your prayers. This is the first officer shot in the line of duty in Fort Smith in over 20 yrs.
The funeral was the most amazing experience I have ever been a part of. Police officers from every surrounding state traveled to Fort Smith and filled the auditorium. Then they filled up two other rooms where they watched by television. We transported the flag covered casket from Fort Smith, AR to Poteau, OK. The procession was about 3 miles long. Hundreds of police cars with their lights flashing, and people lining the streets for miles waving flags and signs. It was a moving experience for everyone involved. When I laid the casket on the grave site and saluted my brother and friend for the last time, I lost it. I hope the sacrifice our law enforcement makes on a daily basis is not easily forgotten.
Brandon
