Frank Trinidad Carmona

CARMONA, FRANK TRINIDAD (1934 ~ 2017). The following is an obituary for Judge Frank Carmona. The obituary was provided by Karnes Brothers Funeral Home of Galveston.

Retired State District Judge and former Galveston County Commissioner Frank Carmona passed away peacefully at his home on July 20, 2017, after a battle with colon cancer.

Born in Galveston to immigrant parents, his friends would laugh when he told them he would be a judge someday. Determined to persevere, he graduated from Kirwin High School in 1952 and worked tirelessly to save enough to enroll at the University of Texas in Austin, where he received his BA and then Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1961. After receiving his law license, he served as an Appeals Referee for the Texas Employment Commission in Austin until he became an Assistant DA for Galveston County. He advanced from prosecutor in the Justice of the Peace Courts, to handling Grand Jury cases, to Chief Prosecutor in the 122nd District Court.  He then joined the law firm of Crawford, Harris and Martin, becoming a full partner by 1965. He remained there until beginning a sole practice in 1986 until 1995, when he was elected Judge of the 122nd District Court.  Although he retired as Senior District Judge in 2002, he continued to serve as a visiting judge in the area. He loved his work as judge and said he would probably be carried out of a courtroom, feet first, in the middle of a trial.

Judge Carmona was active in the community throughout his life. He was a member of many organizations, including Texas and Galveston Bar Associations, LULAC, Sierra Club, Knights of Columbus, Salvation Army Board and Trustee of the Rosenberg Library. After his election to Galveston County Commissioner in 1970, he became active in the state organizations of county officers. He also served as President of South Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association, board member of the Texas Association of Counties and board member of Galveston County Mainland Center Hospital.

He valued loyal friendships with many, especially his former law partners, George Martin, Carlos Garza and Emily Fisher. An avid golfer, he treasured the companionship of his golfing buddies.

He had a love of music and spent many evenings singing and playing the guitar with many friends and family throughout his life. In recent years, he enjoyed his Saturday evenings at Shearn’s, leaving behind the surviving members of his group, Darlene Moody and Richard Ferdinandtsen.

Judge Carmona was preceded in death by his parents Trinidad and Otilia, his sister Rachel C. Hernandez, brothers Salvador, John, Jesse and Xavier, and his daughter-in-law, Angelika.  He is survived by his wife, Vera Carlin, son Frank Kenneth, brothers Alfonso Trinidad, Jr. (Cynthia) of San Antonio and Jose Alfonso (Rachel) of Dickinson, his beloved nieces and nephews, his sisters-in-law, Barbara, Josephine and Patricia Carmona; Janie, Mary D, and Sheila and brother-in-law Joe Carlin.

A private Mass of the Resurrection was celebrated with family at Holy Family Parish; cousins Robert & Angie Rodriguez and Miguel Serrato were Eucharistic Ministers. A celebration of life will be held at the Galveston Country Club on Wednesday, July 26, 2017 from 4-6pm. His ashes will be laid to rest in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin at a private burial.  A memorial fund has been established at the Rosenberg Library for those wishing to honor his life.  Donations can be sent to: Rosenberg Library at 2310 Sealy Street in Galveston, TX 77550.