Dolores Martinez

Dolores Martinez, 91, passed away peacefully Tuesday morning June 13, 2023. The following lines are to honor our dear and beloved Mom, who lived a lovely long life. Someone recently told us that our Mom was blessed by her children. In truth, it is us, her children, who were indeed blessed to have had her as our Mom. 

Our Mom was a wonderful woman, wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She was born on April 02, 1932, in Monterrey, Mexico, where she was raised by her paternal grandmother.

She leaves behind her family whom she loved whole-heartedly and whom she prayed for every day. Our Mom was one of the most selfless people, always giving of herself in unlimited ways and without ever expecting anything in return. She was a beautiful example of the kind of person, woman, mother, and grandmother to be.

Mom was patient with us, encouraging us to study and learn as much as we could, and always offering us her support. She always had words of advice and told us the truth even if it wasn't what we wanted to hear. These words of encouragement, wisdom, and sometimes comfort, kept us in line, taught us to face and handle the “joys” and “challenges” in our lives, and gave us something to pass down to our children. We learned about our family roots through the many beautiful remembrances she and our Father had and shared with us about their own childhoods, their married life, and while raising us.

Our Mom was beautiful and humble. She had an incredible and exemplary faith in God, teaching us from a very early age to pray and trust in God. She faithfully prayed to God, Jesus our Lord, our Blessed Virgin Mary, and St. Joseph and she also had a devotion to so many other Saints. We celebrated as a family many Catholic Feast Days and Christmases at home, with our parents inviting family and friends to come and pray with us and then stay for a special evening meal prepared by our Mom. We have vivid memories of the many Rosaries, Litanies, and Hymns that were led by our Mom at our home. In our younger years, as siblings, we sadly admit that sometimes our behavior was not always the best during these prayer sessions, with us instead goofing around and acting silly. We must have certainly made these prayer celebrations feel so unholy, but our Mom would not let us deter her from faithfully continuing and leading us all in prayer. Her faith was so strong. She knew and trusted that our Lord would bless our faithfulness because our Lord is faithful, and she truly believed in this. Mom also knew and believed God loved us and it was very important to her that God be the center of our lives and part of our family.

Our Mom was an incredible and amazing cook. Her Mexican food was the best. Once you had a taste of her rice, “frijolitos”, flour tortillas and chile, there was no restaurant you would want to go to. We won’t even begin to tempt you with her Ground Beef Gorditas and Tamales. Our younger sister Virginia benefitted from spending much time in the kitchen with Mom and learning how to cook so many of our Mom’s dishes.

Mom always had a cooked warm meal for us, for our friends, and for whomever Dad brought to the house unexpectedly. One of her favorite days was Sunday because she would make her “Caldo de Res.” Oh, my goodness, how was it possible that she could put so much love into that caldo?  It was on Sundays too when our Mom would have us looking out for the missionary nuns who would walk our neighborhood on Sunday morning, as they visited families, evangelized, and did God’s work. We were to let Mom know when we saw the nuns getting close to our home. Mom would invite them to have lunch with us. She loved having the nuns sitting at our table and sharing a meal with us. I know Mom truly believed that when the nuns entered our home that they were bringing Jesus Christ into our home.  We can still remember seeing the joy on her face as the nuns sat around our table, said grace and enjoyed Mom’s Caldo.

 We love our sweet Mom and she will be sorely missed. Our family will certainly be incomplete without our loving Mom. Her home without the beauty of her presence already feels functional but not homey. She is preceded in death by her husband, our father, Jose Martinez Romo, survived by her children: Jose (Pepe) Martinez, Mary (Lulu) Dolores Silva and Virginia (Becky) Bueno, daughter-in-law, Marina Sandoval Martinez, sons-in-law, George Silva and Eddie Bueno, grandchildren: Ali Martinez, Allison Marie Silva, Joel Martinez, Jennifer Alvarez , Jillian Kristine Wells, Cassie Deanne Daniel, and Maya Martinez, and great-grandchildren: Ezra George,  Isabella (Bella) Grace, Everett, Mikayla and Cameron Daniel.

May you rest in Peace, sweet Mom. Your family loves you and you will remain in our hearts forever.

A Vigil Service for our Mom will be held on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at 6:00 PM, at Sunset Funeral Homes- East, 750 N. Carolina. Those not attending the vigil may visit from 4:00 to 8:00 PM. Her Funeral Mass will be held at San Antonio Catholic Church, 503 Hunter, on Thursday, June 22, 2023, beginning at 12:00 Noon. Burial will follow the Mass at Evergreen Cemetery East.

Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon her.