GULFPORT, Miss. – Harrison County Supervisor William Martin will be laid to rest in Cleveland Saturday. Hundreds packed Morning Star Baptist Church in Gulfport Friday for his funeral, where he was called a man’s man, who loved to help others.
Martin, 58, committed suicide more than a week ago. His body was found inside his Gulfport home shortly after he failed to appear in court to answer to federal corruption charges.
At Friday’s service, Martin’s longtime law partner, Warren Conway, shared part of the suicide note he left. “I hope all the good that I’ve done is not overshadowed by some mistakes I’ve made,” Conway read. The note, in part assured friends and people in his district that Martin had never taken money for a vote and expressed his desire for forgiveness. Conway said Martin also thanked his employees and the residents of District 4 for the opportunity to serve them and requested their prayers during this time.
During his eulogy, the Rev. Larry Hawkins told those gathered, “It’s not how you die that matters. It’s how you live your life.”
