A LEGISLATIVE COMMEMORATION, Honoring John Samuel Marty.

WHEREAS, Sam Marty was born in Prairie City, South Dakota, in 1947, and was, as a twenty year old, drafted into the United States Army; and

WHEREAS, while serving in Viet Nam, on a mine sweeping mission, Sam Marty was severely injured and subsequently awarded the Purple Heart; and

WHEREAS, having answered his country's call as a combat veteran, Sam Marty continues his life of service – as a husband, a father, a grandfather, a son, and a brother; as a member of innumerable local and statewide organizations; and from 2015 to the present day, as an esteemed member of the South Dakota House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, this quiet, unassuming rancher has, despite his understated demeanor, shown those who have known him for years and those who have just made his acquaintance, what it means to have an unparalleled love for God, country, and family:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT COMMEMORATED, by the Ninety-Seventh Legislature of the State of South Dakota, that for his service and sacrifice, Sam Marty is owed a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid, but it can be acknowledged; and his patience, courage, and modesty can serve as an aspirational goal in the most noble purpose of instructing our future generations in the meaning of true character and in the principles of liberty and freedom.