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Photo: https:\/\/bpfamilycare.com\/obituary\/arthur-walter-martineau-ii\/<\/p>\n Photo: https:\/\/bpfamilycare.com\/obituary\/arthur-walter-martineau-ii\/<\/p>\n
The City of Miami Beach will celebrate the life of Arthur \u201cBig Art\u201d Martineau II with a plaque unveiling on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 10 a.m. Martineau, a former city police officer, served as executive director of the Miami Beach Police Athletic League and founded the PALs of South Florida. The plaque unveiling will take place at Miami Beach Police Athletic League headquarters, 999 11 St. (south end of Flamingo Park).<\/p>\n
\u201cBig Art, as he was known around Miami Beach, had a giant smile and a supersized heart that matched his physical presence when it came to mentoring and inspiring young people,\u201d shared Miami Beach Commissioner Tanya K. Bhatt. \u201cHis life\u2019s work was about helping kids overcome challenging circumstances like those that he experienced as a child, ensuring they had a shot at setting and accomplishing goals they might never have imagined for themselves otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martineau passed away on Jan. 23, 2025 at age 54, and was married to Miami Beach Police Officer Deborah Martineau, who transitioned to the role of PAL Executive Director following his passing.<\/p>\n
\u201cBig Art spent his career putting kids first, as a Miami Beach police officer and leading our PAL, where he gave young people a safe place to grow and a reason to believe in themselves,\u201d said Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner. \u201cThis plaque ensures that every child who walks through these doors knows whose commitment helped make it possible. Our thoughts are with his wife Deborah and their family, and we are deeply grateful for his service.\u201d<\/p>\n
Born in a challenging neighborhood of Queens, New York on Oct. 31, 1970, the father of four observed the struggles of people around him firsthand and wanted to make a difference by helping children see brighter futures. He particularly despised bullies and sought to protect and defend those who couldn\u2019t defend themselves.<\/p>\n
Martineau served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve as a firefighter and became a Florida corrections officer before joining the Miami Beach Police Department as a police detention officer. He eventually achieved his goal of becoming a certified Miami Beach police officer before taking on the role of executive director of the Miami Beach Police Athletic League in 2010.<\/p>\n
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