Helen B. Martinez

It is with great sorrow we announce the passing of our mother, Helen B. Martinez. Helen peacefully left us on July 7, 2022, her mother's birthday, surrounded by her family while at home.

Helen was a loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother devoted to her family and a true friend to many. The most important thing to Mom was her family and her last words to us were, don't cry and enjoy your life. Mom was brave to the end.

Helen was born in Capitan, NM to Josefita Hererra and Lorenzo Baldonado on March 12, 1933, the 2nd of 9 children. We remember many stories of moms early life working at the store and bar her parents owned in Lincoln County. She would make sandwiches and pin ribbons to the shirts of everyone that paid.  And at just 5 feet tall, was the Captain of the girls basketball team at Hondo High School, class of 1951.  She traveled alone on the Greyhound bus to live in Los Angeles and while never having used a telephone went on to become a telephone operator there. She moved back to New Mexico to work at White Sands Missile Range, as a secretary, then later moved to Las Cruces NM where she met her future husband, Julian, at an NMSU basketball game… Three months later they were married! She and Julian raised 6 children while moving from Roswell,Albuquerque, Portland Oregon and then back to Albuquerque to follow Julianswork. She stayed home and raised all of them, and after they were old enough to be on their own, she went to work as a secretary for the Office of the Medical Investigator, later retiring from Albuquerque Public Schools.

Helen was also fortunate to have a second partner in her life, Tony.  She and Tony loved to travel, while together they visited all 50 states. She traveled to Spain, Italy, Mexico and three summers ago, to Cabo San Lucas with her children and grandchildren.  After she retired, she started walking at the mall, at least 3 miles every day. She continued to walk at least 1-2 times a week up until a few months before she passed.  The people at her gym always came up to her and told her how she inspired them to keep going. She enjoyed reading a great book, going to the movies and out to dinner, but she especially loved going to the Casino!

She has had many adversities in her life along the way, but life became especially difficult for her the last few years with her health, and after the passing of three of her siblings and her beloved son JJ.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents and brothers Jimmy, Berlin and Lorenzo Baldonado, her sister Clydia Barrett, former husband Julian, her partner of 25+ years Tony Paquette and her son JJ Martinez.

She is survived by her children; daughter Gloria Bruick and husband Bob, son Andrew Martinez, son Tom Martinez and wife Michelle DuVal, daughter-in-law Shawn Martinez, son Rob Martinez and wife Rita, and daughter Anna Vigil and husband Dennis, by her siblings Eugene, Bennie, Raymond Baldonado and FidaMontoya.

"Gammy" will be missed by her grandchildren; Jessi Duong and her husband Jonathan, Mitch Martinez, Matthew Martinez and wife Julia, Alex Martinez and Darius Ortega, Leesha Martinez, Noah Bruick, Avery Vigil, and Charlie and Bode DuVal, as well as her great grandchildren Rosalyn and Logan Duong.

Mom, we will miss your tender hugs, wise words and life lessons.  You were a true example of strength, and that is something we will all strive to be going forward without you. Because of all you have taught us, and with the support of the entire family, we will get through this.

The family would like to thank the staff at Compassus Hospice and the various caregivers for their loving care provided to our mother.

A Mass for Helen will be held on Tuesday, July 26th at 9:30am at Risen Savior Catholic Church 7701 Wyoming Blvd NE 87109 with interment to follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. A reception will follow interment at FRENCH-Wyoming. Pallbearers will be her grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to either the Parkinson's Connection of Central New Mexico or the American Heart Association .