María Martinez (RIP) 8/8/1939-2/29/2008
Passionate words and tears were not enough to express their love from those who took the podium to say the last good-by to María Martínez.
María Martínez, of San Francisco, passed away Feb. 29, 2008 from a cerebral illness at the age of 68.
María dedicated the past 35 years of her life as a community and political activist/advocate within the City and County of San Francisco. She was a community organizer and provided the utmost diligence in empowering others within her community and in San Francisco at large to as sume an active and positive role in the community and political process. Her work as a citizen complaint officer with the San Francisco Rent Control Board, coupled with her work as the ration representative has been carried out with the highest level of professionalism and dignity, and because of this she has made a lasting impact on the residents of San Francisco.
She was a passionate civil rights activist on local, state and national platforms. She was a former congressional aide for Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi; founder of Grupo Presente (San Francisco Latino City and County Employees Group), and was just recently elected as the chair of the Chicano Latino Caucus of the California State Democratic Party.
California Sen. Gil Cedillo, the restless champion of Latino’s ongoing struggle to obtain Driver’s License to the undocumented came to give his respects to María, as well as members of different worker’s union and community leaders.
Her community involvement included being a former member on the Board of Directors, Haight Ashbury Free Clinics and Mission Neighborhood Health Center in SF.
Maria Martínez’s life has left an indelible impact on the many lives she has touches. Her life shall be a great memorial and legacy for future generations. Copies of her book, Sterling Silver Roses, which was offered to most of attendees, shows much of what she really was inside as a human being full of love.
Four children survive her: Christine Martín of Hilo, HI, Debra Tyler of SF, Gregory Branzuela of Arroyo Grande, Calif., and Anna Branzuela of SF. She will be resting in peace with her late son Leonard Branzuela. She leaves behind sister Carol Real of Montibello, Calif; sons-in-law, Robert Tyler and Víctor Martín; grandchildren: Victoria Patch, Thomas Patch, Antonio Patch Tyler, Michele Garcia, Rafael García, James Jenkins and Christopher Lafave; and great grandchildren, Jerald S. Patch and Xiomara Patch.
Public tributes and a Mass Service were held on Wednesday, and a Funeral Service Thursday at Duggan’s Funeral Service, followed by a Funeral Mass at Mission Dolores Church. El Reportero newspaper offers its condolences to the family of this great woman.
