Martine Ginsburg: Remembering Her Life of Service
- Dec 1, 2012
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 11
Martine Heilbron Ginsburg died Friday evening, November 16, 2012, during her 96th year. Martine was born August 10, 1916, in Texarkana, Texas. She died peacefully surrounded by her family at the home that she and her beloved husband, Marcus, built and lived in during their entire marriage, where they raised their two sons and where she shared her happiest times with family and friends. Her home was the center of her world. Martine was the daughter of Ray Heilbron, a member of a pioneer Texarkana family, and Lydia Goldstein Heilbron. During World War II, she joined the American Red Cross in order to be of service to her countrymen and rose in rank to become the Red Cross field director at Camp Lejeune, N.C. In 1948, she moved to Fort Worth to continue her career with the Red Cross. There, she met her husband, Marcus. Together they shared 47 years of devotion, purpose and great times. Their marriage set a wonderful example for their children and grandchildren. Martine was a full-time mother to their sons, Harold and Robert, yet always found time to serve her community with her focus on the health and well-being of children. She never missed the opportunity to advocate for the needs of children and to inspire others to do the same. This passion continued until her last breath. Martine took enormous pride in her four grandchildren and shared a unique and special relationship with each. She gave them her unconditional love. She instilled in each her passion for community service and social justice, her love of art and entertaining, the importance of family and of enjoying life. Martine served and supported many organizations in Fort Worth, including Tarrant County Day Care, The Parenting Center, the Lena Pope Home, Women’s Haven (now SafeHaven of Tarrant County) and The Women’s Center of Tarrant County. In 1979, Martine and her friend, Ginny Richards, planted the seeds that would become Gill Children’s Services, an innovative agency serving as a safety net of last resort for children in Tarrant County. Next to her family, the work of Gill was her greatest source of pride. Her dedication to Gill was repaid tenfold by the love and dedication of a younger generation of friends that she came to know, love and mentor through her work there. Martine had strong opinions on diverse subjects. They ranged from the proper way to set a table to the important issues of the day. And she was never shy about sharing them. You always knew where you stood with Martine and just what she thought and what she expected. She was an innovator in the field of social services and ahead of her time in her taste in art, architecture and design. Hers was a wonderful, rich and happy life filled with love and blessed with the opportunity to help some people along the way. Martine was full of fun. Five o’clock in the evening was a special time in her home. She needed each day of her 96 years to complete her work. She departed on her own terms. Her family is very proud of her and the legacy she leaves. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Marcus; and her sister, Emma Louise Rushing. Survivors: In addition to her sons and daughters-in-law, Harold Heilbron and Bunny Ginsburg of Dallas and Robert and Nancy Ginsburg of Fort Worth, Martine is survived by her grandchildren, Brooke Ginsburg and Natalie Ginsburg, both of Austin, and Perry Heilbron Ginsburg and Serena Polan Ginsburg, both of Fort Worth; niece, Betty Rushing of Hot Springs, Ark., nephew, Nolan Rushing, Jr. of Little Rock, Ark., and their families.
Published in Star-Telegram on November 18, 2012
A Message from the Board President
Every non-profit organization relies on its founders to guide it from inception through the growth process, and then to hopefully ensure its longevity and that it continues to be true to its mission and purpose. Sadly, Gill Children’s Services lost one of its founders, Martine H. Ginsburg, last fall on November 16th. At 96 years of age, Martine was actively engaged in the work of Gill until shortly before her death: voting to approve a special request for medical assistance for a child in need.
Martine died peacefully in the home that she and her husband, Marcus, built and in which she lived for over sixty three years. It was also in this home, at the dining room table, that at the age of 63 Martine and her dear friend, Ginny Richards, initially created Gill Children’s Services in response to a $1,000,000 bequest by A. Smith Gill, a relatively unknown local benefactor. The original intent was to give the money away as quickly as possible to the children of Tarrant County with unmet needs. However, as they soon discovered, there was a great need for an organization that would be a last resort for children, after all other sources of funding had been tapped. In 2010, as Martine mused upon seeing the new Gill permanent offices, “This may really outlive me and continue to provide for the children long after I am gone. That’s something Ginny and I never even dreamed was a possibility.” Now, 34 years later, Gill has provided almost $10,000,000 to approximately 50,000 children in Tarrant County.
While Martine was instrumental in founding or guiding several other social organizations in Tarrant County, her greatest community achievement was the establishment of Gill as the only organization in Tarrant County, and perhaps in Texas and the United States, with the
sole purpose of taking care of the unmet needs of children. No child has ever been turned away from Gill as a last resort.
As Gill approaches its 35th anniversary in 2014, the Board of Directors reaffirms its commitment to improving the lives of children, in recognition of the wishes of Martine, and with the continued guidance of co-founder Ginny Richards. We thank our donors for their continued support and we look forward to being available to any child who truly needs Gill’s assistance!
