A terrible story…

This is just unimaginable. Kerry Martin, wife of Arizona Secretary of the Treasury Dean Martin, has died in childbirth, along with their son, Austin Michael.

Kerry Martin died at 34 on May 25, hours after delivering Austin, as a consequence of the rupture of a benign tumor on her liver. Austin died two days later as a result of complications from the birth.
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In a eulogy leavened with humor, Martin remembered his wife as a kind and passionate woman who proved an ideal partner as he rose from the state Senate to be elected to statewide office.

“In our world of politics, you rarely find people you can trust completely,” Martin said. “But I could always trust Kerry, in anything and everything.”

Greb praised Kerry Martin for the work she did to promote water safety as a marketing specialist for Phoenix’s parks department, and for her volunteer work to promote financial literacy.

“Her life was not lived for herself but for the sake of others,” Greb said.

Kerry was a committed fan of the Phoenix Suns, and her passion came through – loudly – during the Suns’ controversial loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the 2007 Western Conference semifinals.

“I was afraid we would have police called on a few games during the playoffs,” Dean Martin said with a smile. “I rarely heard her say an ill word about anybody. But there were a few refs during the San Antonio Spurs finals . . . ”

Martin also spoke warmly of his son, who died in his arms two days after he was born. The funeral program described Austin as “the light of Kerry and Dean’s lives.”

Writes Patrick Madrid:

I have a vivid memory of also talking one-on-one with Kerry for a little while about homeschooling. She was beaming and sweet and clearly very much in love with her husband, proud of his burgeoning career, and happy to be a busy young mom of a young family. And now she’s gone.

One of those awful, unforeseen complications. God’s peace upon Kerry and her son, and my prayers go out to her husband and family.

While praying, let us remember 9 year old Tommy, whose stemcell treatment has not gone as everyone had hoped, and is gravely ill, tonight, and for Liz, age 29, who is dealing with an inoperable brain tumor. And let us pray for Tyler and his mother as they deal with a custodial battle.

Lord, at whose bidding the sands of our lives run fast or slow, have mercy on us all.