Olga Justa Martínez was born on August 6, 1941 in La Habana, Cuba to parents Estanislao Sardiña and Victoria Alvarez Güin. Though an only child, Olguita never felt lonely thanks to the constant revelry and companionship of her loving extended family, treasuring her aunts and uncles as guardians and mentors, her cousins like siblings—¡como se divertian los primos!
She began her career studying architecture at the University of St. Thomas of Villanova in Havana when serendipitously, her father—affectionately known as Chacho, an established architect himself—hired the bright, young and devilishly handsome Baldomero (Walter) Martínez to assist him at his firm. Her vivacious attitude, classic beauty and alegría de vida instantly caught his eye, and after a sweet courtship (supervised, of course, by the watchful eye of her chaperonas), they wed on July 23, 1961.
Soon after, revolution swept Cuba, forcing Merito and Olguita to make the difficult and life-changing choice to leave their beloved homeland and immigrate to the United States, bravely forging a new life in Miami, guaranteeing freedom and prosperity for their family for generations to come.
Within that same tumultuous year, Olga gave birth to Teresita, and six years later Gabriel came along, completing their nuclear family. She enthusiastically poured her heart and soul into mothering her children, always ready to join in on their adventures, play games, organize activities, encourage their friendships, foster their education.
This young mother continued to persevere and gain life experiences. She joined the Martinez family business, the Cuban bakery La Gran Via on Calle Ocho, as partner and accounting analyst. Once her children were more established at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic School, she went back to academics herself, earning a degree in Computer Sciences from Miami Dade College. Soon after, in 1979, she landed a job at Eastern Airlines, ultimately earning the title of Senior Programming Analyst.
While at Eastern, Olguita developed a passion for travel that would become a defining element of her personality—leading her to explore over 60 countries on six continents as far and fascinating as the world’s most remote nation, Bhutan. She proudly and excitedly spread this passion to her family, taking great care to organize many unforgettable family excursions, always finding new landscapes to traverse, foods to sample, monuments and cathedrals to marvel, artisanal objects to shop. Stacks upon stacks of family photo albums chronicle treasured shared family adventures. Olga never veered from nor tired of her love of travel, and she made it a permanent part of her career in hospitality, working also at Speedy Travel and Carnival Cruise Lines, finally retiring as Senior Programming Analyst in 2007.
In 2017, Olga returned to her motherland to visit loved ones in Cuba on a nostalgic and bittersweet trip, retracing her youth, the first time back since 1961. Last summer the family celebrated two milestones together in St. Lucia - Olga’s 80th birthday and the lovebirds’ 60th wedding anniversary. And, just two months ago, the Martinez crew traveled to visit extended family throughout northern Spain.
Beyond travel, she enjoyed volunteering for various organizations such as Sts. Peter and Paul Church and School, the Boy Scouts of America, a women’s support group within the South Florida chapter of the American Institute of Architects, Mercy Hospital and MAR por Cuba - Mujeres Anti-Represion. Olguita also found joy in practicing Tai Chi, trying new restaurants, immersing herself in the arts of opera, cinema, music and Spanish Dance and in cultivating and maintaining lifelong friendships.
Above all, Olga, “la matriarca de la familia”, was a strong woman—feisty and playful, generous and affectionate, independent and ambitious, a fierce protector and loving caretaker of her husband and family, the glue that held us all together. She was an absolute gem of a human being who was and forever shall be adored by all who knew her.
She passed unexpectedly Monday, September 12, 2022, due to complications in her journey recovering from throat cancer. She is survived by her beloved husband Walter (Chini) Martinez, her son Gabriel and spouse Lee, her daughter Teresita and spouse Alex, and her grandchildren Elise (Caramelito) and Harrison (Bonbon), as well as many cherished family members and friends, near and far, past and present.
A memorial for friends and family will be held at
Caballero Rivero Woodlawn South on
Monday, September 19th from 7-10pm. (8pm family testimonials)
11655 SW 117th Ave.
Miami, Fl 33186
(395) 238-3672
Flowers are welcome (Olguita loved carnations)
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association in Olga’s name (alz.org, 1.800.272.3900)
A dedicated mass will be held at St. John Neumann Catholic Church on
Tuesday, September 20th from 9:30-10:30am.
Burial to follow at 11am at Woodlawn South Cemetery Park.
Please share this information with Olga’s family and close friends.
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