Sen. Bill Martin, Husband of Patricia Yancey, Passed Away Saturday
Chapel Hill - It is with
great sadness that APPCNC reports former Sen. Bill Martin's death Friday
night at his home, reportedly from a heart ailment he had been treated for over
the last week. As many of you know, Sen. Martin was recovering from a
stroke he suffered a few years back.
Sen. Martin represented
Guilford County from 1983 to 2002.
Sen. Martin was a great friend to the Coalition and North Carolina's youth. He was a champion of child protective
services by sponsoring legislation relating to intensive Family
Preservation Services, health care initiatives, and permanence for children. As
Chair of the Human Resources Appropriations Committee, Sen. Martin allocated
funding for North Carolina's County Departments of Social Services to increase
the worker-to-client ratio. This allows social workers to devote more intensive
efforts to child protective services, foster care and adoption services, and for
recruitment and retention of foster and adoptive parents.
He worked tirelessly to strengthen
families through efforts to establish a Domestic Violence Commission. Sen. Martin also participated in North Carolina's
Court Improvement Project helping with re-codification of the Juvenile Code and
Child Abuse and Neglect Statutes so that issues relating to juvenile justice
were kept separate from abuse and neglect issues. He was an active member of the Child Fatality Task
Force identifying child-protection issues and responding to safety concerns by
introducing legislation requiring helmets for bikers, child safety restraints in
cars, and water vessel safety. Sen. Bill
Martin was a legislator committed to children in every way. In 2003, APPCNC awarded him the Nick Jeralds Award for Public Service.
Sen. Martin is survived by his wife Patricia
Yancey, who is a lobbyist for the Coalition. Sen. Martin is also survived by two sons William Martin Jr. and
Thomas W. Martin.
The Coalition will pass along funeral and memorial plans as they become available. Our sincerest condolences go out to his family and friends. |
