In Memoriam
Denise Martin
April 30, 1956 - November 21, 2020
Dear Friends:
I hope you have already heard the sad news that our friend and colleague Denise Martin, born on April 30, 1956, passed away suddenly on Saturday morning, November 21, 2020. Denise had suffered a major heart attack on Saturday, November 14, but seemed to be recovering and was discharged from the hospital on Thursday. Tragically, just two days later she suffered another major heart attack.
Losing Denise is a terrible blow to her family and to our Court, especially to the Tampa Division. November 19, 2020 marked the 41st anniversary of Denise's employment with the Court. In fact, other than Judge Paskay, who served on the bench for 48 years, to our knowledge, Denise is our Court's longest-tenured employee. Denise was hired as a docket clerk in 1979, and later served as the Courtroom Deputy for Judge Paskay, for Judge Baynes when he was appointed to the bench in 1987 (throughout the Celotex years), and, after Judge Baynes' retirement in 2005, for Judge McEwen.
Denise was an integral member of Judge McEwen's chambers staff, and will be greatly missed by Judge McEwen, Lisa Scotten, and Dedra Gann. She was also very close friends with Mary Morrison (Judge Paskay and Judge McEwen's retired judicial assistant), Laura Stevenson, Mary Maddox, and Tampa's longtime court reporter, Kim Johnson. Denise will be missed by all of us in the Tampa Division.
In addition, during her 41 years with the Court, and having worked as a courtroom deputy for three judges, Denise was well known to the lawyers in the Tampa bankruptcy community, several of whom had served as law clerks to her judges. Judge McEwen recalls that prior to CM/ECF and, before that, the Court's after-hours emergency fax filing procedure, attorneys would take their after-hours emergency filings to Denise's South Tampa home so that she could accept them for filing.
On May 9, 2019, Denise arrived uncharacteristically late to a Tampa Division "Taco Lunch and Trivia Contest." Unbeknownst to her Tampa friends and co-workers, Denise and David Martin, her long-time beau, had slipped off to First Presbyterian Church in downtown Tampa to be married during their lunch hour. Denise was known as a great cook, a wonderful party planner, a sharp dresser, and the life of any party. Denise and David loved relaxing by their pool and entertaining friends. In 2008, at age 52, after training for over a year, Denise completed and "placed" in a senior body building competition.
Denise and David also loved to spend time with their family. Denise is survived by her daughters, Alyson Walsh (Nate) and Megan Long (Chris), stepson Andrew Martin, and five adorable grandchildren between the ages of seven months and five years old: Addy and Callen Walsh (and Baby Boy Walsh due in March 2021), Cooper and Molly Long, and Monroe Martin. As sad as we all are to have lost Denise, it is comforting to know that she was at a very happy stage of her life, enjoying life with David and her grown children and grandchildren, and looking forward to retiring in the foreseeable future.
A memorial service will be held Friday, December 4, 2020, at 11 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Tampa. Because attendance is limited, you must register at the church website, https://firstprestampa.org/ . Registration will open December 2, 2020.