Rosa Martinez
February 3, 2011
Rosa Martinez, age 85, of Sweetwater, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011, in Sweetwater.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011, at Cate-Spencer & Trent Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow at Sweetwater Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Cate-Spencer & Trent Funeral Home.
Rosa was born Dec. 30, 1925, to Enrique and Sofia Ortega in Knox City, Texas. She married Manuel G. Martinez, Sr. on Nov. 15, 1941, in Sweetwater. She was a homemaker. In l960, she became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and loved to speak to everyone about the Bible. In 1964, the family moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where they were privileged to be instrumental in the formation of the first Spanish speaking congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Santa Fe.
She is survived by daughters, Maria Johnson, Virginia Archuleta and Isabel Garcia, all of Sweetwater; sons, Manuel Martinez, Jr. of Santa Fe, New Mexico and Jesse Martinez of Sweetwater; one brother, Henry Ortega of Sweetwater; a sister, Alice Leal of Poteet, Texas; 18 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Manuel Martinez, Sr.; a daughter, Gloria Chavez; grandsons, Ezekiel and Oscar Chavez; her parents, Enrique and Sofia Ortega; brothers, Raul and Andres Ortega; and sisters, Fina Sepeda, Adelina Gutierrez and Juana Rivera.
Pallbearers will be Rey Limones, Fredric Johnson, II, Steve Chavez, Michael Martinez, Jacob Archuleta and Christopher Johnson.
Honorary pallbearer will be Stetson Flores.
