Berlinda Martinez

MARTINEZ, BERLINDA SALAZAR. Loving wife, mother, sister, niece, grandmother and great grandmother passed away Wednesday, February 20, 2013. The shining light of our family has left us to walk in God's love and is home. She was born in Taos, New Mexico on August 13, 1939 and is preceded in death by her parents Domitila and Tilio Quinto, her father Santiago Salazar and her beloved grandson, Christopher Torres. She was an accomplished scientific researcher and publisher in the field of blast biology for the Department of Defense through affiliations with Lovelace ITRI, Los Alamos, EG&G and JAYCOR; and she served as a Board Member for the Lovelace Health Plan. She has left behind her loving husband of 53 years, Robert J. Martinez; three children Renetta Torres and her husband Stephen Torres, Robert J. Martinez, Jr. and his wife Anne Marie Martinez, Melissa R. Martinez and her best friend Margaret Keppler; two sisters and one brother, Loretta Vigil, Violetta Velazquez and James Salazar; and her aunt, Corina Santestivan. In addition, she leaves behind eight grandchildren and six great children, Daniel Torres and his wife Dr. Nicole Moreland-Torres, Matthew Torres and his wife Dennica Torres, Jenifer Martinez, Jaclyn Martinez, Danielle Martinez, Miranda Martinez, Michael Martinez, great-grandchildren, Darion Faulkner, Ciana Faulkner Enmarae Torres, Elizabeth Torres, Amara Torres and Michael Means. A Rosary will be recited on Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 10:00am with a Mass celebrating her life immediately following at 10:30am. Both will be held at Our Lady of the Annunciation Parish located at 2621 Vermont NE, 87110. She will be laid to rest at Mount Calvary Cemetery. The family invites you to join us for a reception following the service. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make memorial contributions to "The Berlinda S. Martinez Memorial Fund" that will assist in the creation of a transplant and research center that will provide transplant services to the people of New Mexico. Donations can be made at Wells Fargo Bank by referencing "The Berlinda S. Martinez Memorial Fund." We love you, B, Mom and Granny. Please visit our online guest book for Berlinda at: