Carla Maxine Martinez of Greeley, Colorado, passed away on November 2, 2021, surrounded by her children and loving family. She was born on December 19, 1963 in Cleveland, New Mexico to Tiburcio Martinez and Viola (Rodarte) Martinez.
Her family moved to Greeley, Colorado in 1966, where she grew up and spent all her life. She attended schools in Greeley and graduated from Greeley Central High School.
Carla worked at the JBS Lamb plant for 26 years, where she spent a better part of those years as a Safety Manager.
Carla loved life. She was always cheering people up and making them laugh with her jokes and positive attitude. Carla’s laugh was contagious and simply unforgettable. She didn’t hold on to anger and always left her family and friends feeling upbeat. Carla managed to maintain her positive outlook throughout her illness. She was quite the angler going to many unique fishing holes. She was an avid antique shopper, collecting many artifacts. She adored going to Central City or Blackhawk with friends and family to gamble and take a break by getting lost in some crab legs.
Carla loved to spend of all her free time with her children, grandchildren, and her mother. They were the center of her world. Carla would go out of her way for her kids and sacrifice everything she had to make them happy. Carla loved her grandchildren fiercely and would go out of her way to spoil them. Carla and her mother were also very close. Carla unselfishly spent her time driving her mother to appointments and run errands. They also spent much quality time travelling back and forth to Mora and Monte Aplanado, New Mexico, where the family was from.
Carla loved bringing her family together with food and good times. One of her traditions was to spend the morning of Thanksgiving helping her mother cook a turkey and all the fixings so that “her Vi” would have plenty of food to feed family and friends that would come to visit. She was the youngest daughter of the family and one of the middle children that kept the family connected. She was like a second mother to many of her nieces and nephews and she will be dearly missed.
She is survived by her mother Viola Martinez. Children: Ricky(Jamie) Garcia, Ryan(Racquel) Garcia, and Cecilia(Steven Vasquez) Garcia. Significant other Pedro Diaz. Brothers: Michael(Elma) Martinez, Frank(Irene) Martinez, Pete Martinez, Fred(Brenda) Martinez, Joe(Julee) Martinez, and Barney (Rebecca) Martinez. Sisters: Teresa(Candelario) Sanchez, Margie(John) Ventura, and Angela Sanchez. Grandchildren: Rylan Garcia, Vince Garcia, Steven Jr. Vasquez, Aaleah Garcia, Landon Garcia, Eli Vasquez, Felix Garcia, Brooklyn Vasquez, and Gianna Garcia. Many aunts and uncles, cousins, and 32 nieces and nephews. Special people in her life: Anthony Aragon, Joedan Trujillo, June Trujillo, Melissa Cech, Esther Rios and Sonja Rios.
Carla was proceeded in death by her father Tiburcio Martinez, a sister Pauline Martinez, a brother John Martinez, and brother-in-law Eduardo Sanchez.
Visitation will be Wednesday November 10, 2021, at 5:00 p.m. followed by the Recitation of the Rosary at 7:00 p.m. at Stoddard Funeral Home. Mass of the Christian Burial will be at 9:30 a.m. Thursday November 11, 2021 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church. Interment Sunset Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, donations and expressions of sympathy may be made directly to the family or through www.stoddardsunset.com.
