Roberto Martinez

MARTINEZ, ROBERTOOn January 3, 2013, the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, Roberto Martinez was called home by Our Lord. Roberto was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle, friend and mentor. Roberto was born on May 22, 1929 in the small New Mexico mountain village of Chacon in the Mora Valley. He attended school in Mora and was educated by the Sisters of Loretto. After graduating high school, Roberto joined the United States Air Force, serving a four year duty. Afterwards, he worked at the New Mexico State Hospital in Las Vegas, N.M. where he met his future wife, Ramona Salazar, also an employee at the facility. They soon married and the young couple moved to Denver, Colorado in 1952, where Roberto worked as a civil servant for the Federal Government. Always having a passion for Mexican music, he started singing and playing the guitar, performing at restaurants and bars throughout Denver. When the Martinez family moved to Albuquerque, N.M. in 1961, Roberto started performing as a mariachi musician, forming the legendary group, Los Reyes de Albuquerque, in 1962. He performed with his group throughout New Mexico and the United States for almost fifty years. Through those years, Roberto received many awards and accolades. These include the 2003 National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowship (awarded along with his son Lorenzo) for preserving and promoting New Mexican Hispanic Music and Culture, and recognition by the Smithsonian Institution as a Corridista, or composer of corridos, which are Mexican ballads. Roberto was also a civil rights advocate, leading many causes and struggles for all minorities who experienced discrimination and racism in the 60s and 70s. When he retired from civil service, Roberto devoted his energies to establishing the Los Reyes de Albuquerque Foundation for the promotion of New Mexican Hispanic Music and Culture. For over two decades, senior centers, public schools, and children's centers throughout New Mexico were exposed to music and history Roberto and his band of musicians brought to young and old alike. He was also a devout parishioner at Our Lady of the Assumption in Albuquerque, where he lent his voice to the Spanish choir for decades. Roberto was the son of Maximiano Martinez and Rosa Lovato. He is preceded in death by his daughters Roberta Maxine and Deborah Susan. Roberto is survived by his wife, Ramona Elena Salazar, their daughter Doris, their sons Lorenzo and Robert Jr., and their grandchildren Bernadette, Darla, Manuel, Carlos, Sheila, and Larry; also, their great grandchildren Desiree, Antonio, Tino, Ramon, Carlos Jr., Damian, and Asia. A rosary will be held at our Lady of the Assumption, Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. with a visitation one hour prior. The funeral Mass will be at our Lady of the Assumption Wednesday, January 9, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. followed by the burial at Gate of Heaven.Dame un momento de vidaPara resarte un rosarioDespues Madrecita miaContento me voy contigoGive me one more moment of lifeTo pray a rosaryThen, Holy MotherHappily, I will go with you-Roberto MartinezEl Corrido de Daniel Fernandez