Joe Martinez

Services for Joe V. Martinez Sr. will be on June 10, 2011 at 10:00 am at the Fellowship Baptist Church in Portales, New Mexico with Ronnie Fox and Reverend Ted Bailey officiating.  Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery.  Pall bearers will be Jesse Robinson, Daniel Pena, Jonathan Martinez, Greg Burris, Ronnie Mitchell, and CL Roach.  Honorary pallbearers will be family and numerous friends.  A reception will follow burial in the Fellowship Hall at the Fellowship Baptist Church. Joe V. Martinez Sr. was born March 5, 1942, in Wagon Mound New Mexico to the late Desiderio Martinez and Teodorita Fernandez-Martinez.   He went home to be with the Lord on June 5, 2011.  He married Lucy Armijo on May 1, 1964 in Portales, NM. He attended school in Wagon Mound, NM.  He moved to Portales from Wagon Mound in 1961.  He worked at numerous dairies, farms, and ranches in and around Portales.  He also worked at various dairies and farms in Iowa.  He later moved to Oklahoma and worked for the Canadian Valley Ranch. Joe was a Christian and loved the Lord dearly.  He was an honest hard working man.  He was a very compassionate man with a great sense of humor.  He was well liked by everyone he met.  He loved his wife, children, and grandchildren unconditionally.  His greatest joy was spending his summers in Portales with his children and grandchildren.  In the summer he helped his son and grandson on the farm.  He will be greatly missed. He was preceded in death by his Parents: Desiderio and Teodorita Martinez; Granddaughter:  Amber Robinson; Son: Richard Padilla; Daughter: Connie Martinez Foster; Brother: Arturo Martinez; Sisters: Juanita Chavez and Margaret Martinez. He is survived by his wife: Lucy Martinez of Seminole, OK.  Daughter: Joann Martinez (Danny Pena), of Portales, NM.  Sons: Joe and Debbie Martinez, of Portales, NM, Anselmo Armijo, Seminole, OK, Tony and Chris Padilla of Las Cruces, NM, and George Padilla of Seminole, OK;  brothers: Anselmo Martinez, Eloy Martinez and wife, Gloria, both of Wagon Mound; Valentine Martinez and wife, Loretta Branchal, of Wagon Mound, NM, sisters:  Mary Martinez of Denver, CO., and Bernabe Velarde and husband, Robert, of Denver, CO.,  Georgia Martinez of Albuquerque, NM., and Christine Martinez of Wagon Mound, NM; grandsons: Jesse (Janice) Robinson, Daniel Pena, Jonathan Martinez, Anselmo Martinez, Jr.;  granddaughters: Kayla Martinez, Joyce Martinez, Gloria, Dolores, LeAnn, and Lucy; numerous other relatives and many friends. Services will be under the direction of Wheeler Mortuary in Portales, New Mexico (Phone 575-356-4455). Funeral Information: June 10, 2011, 10:00 AM Fellowship Baptist Church in Portales, NM located at 820 W. 17th St., Portales, NM 88130