Joe Martinez
January 10, 1916 – June 28, 2014
Over his 98 years of life, Joe Martinez lived with love, passion and integrity. One of 11 children to Ysabel and Francisco Avila, Joe was born in San Bernardino, CA, raised in Richmond, CA, and for the last 30 years, lived in Manteca, CA.
Joe’s talents and interests were vast and diverse. He served as a machinist in the Mare Island Naval Shipyard during World War II. In 1946, he married the love of his life, Flora B. Dominguez. They raised three children in South San Francisco while he worked at General Electric Microwave Labs and Stanford Research Institute where he was a model maker for new product development. An avid San Francisco Giants and 49ers fan, when not playing his guitar or violin, he could be found in his dark room developing photos of his family or tinkering with a broken clock or musical instrument, restoring their original tick or tune. Fluent in English and Spanish, he loved reading, listening or dancing to music with Flora, his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. He will now rejoin Flora for their song.
He is survived by siblings Savino, Chip and Dora Avila; three children and their families: Joyce Huseby, Margaret Curtis and Joe and Ellen Martinez; grandchildren Joseph, Chuck and David Lennier, Julie Chandik, Kelsey Combellick; great grandchildren Cameron, Eric, Christopher, Amber and Tayler Lennier, Trevor and Parker Chandik, Madison and Reese Combellick. Joe was the brother of Thomas Martinez of Chula Vista. Thomas Martinez passed away in June 2006 but his legacy lives on through the Tom and Pearl Martinez Foundation that continues to reward young students who perform well in school. Joe Martinez is also survived by his relative Veronika Martinez-Munoz who resides in Chula Vista.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Boys and Girls Club of Manteca. Please note in the comments that the donation is: In Memory of Joe Martinez.
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