Jose M Martinez

Jose Manuel Martinez was born to the late Simplicio and Francisca Maldonado, a coast guard
and a homemaker in Catano, Puerto Rico on April 6, 1932. His father died in a tragic accident in
the Coast Guard when Jose was only 6 years old. Francisca took her son and daughter Nelly to
New York in 1946 when Jose was 14. His mother remarried a man named Julio Velazquez. They
had a son named Julito and adopted a daughter named Evelyn. After Jose graduated from High
School, he joined the Army at the age of 19 in April 1951. He served in the Army and was in the
Korean war from April 1951- May 1954. He received a Korean Service Medal with 2 bronze
service stars. He also received the National Defense Service Medal.
After his time in the Army, he joined the United States Post office where he worked for 30
years. He married his first wife Ramona Lopez who is the mother of his 2 sons Ricardo and
Carlos Martinez. After 17 years of marriage, they divorced, and Jose married Virginia Reyes.
Together they had a daughter named Jocelyn Martinez. Virginia had a stroke after 13 years of
marriage and died 10 years later, leaving Jose a widow. When he retired in 1988, he decided to
move down to Florida with his daughter Jocelyn where his son was already living. His other son
and his first wife Ramona also moved to Florida where they all currently live.
Jose had a great long life and a loving family. He enjoyed going on trips to Puerto Rico where he
could be with his family. He enjoyed taking his sons to play baseball and his daughter to go
bicycle riding. He is survived by his brother and sister Julio and Evelyn. His two sons and
daughter Rick, Carlos and Jocelyn. His nieces and nephews Canito, Ary, Julito, Ivan and Ivonne
Marie. His grandchildren CJ, Chucky, Eric and Madi. Plus his great grandchildren, Sofia, Anthony
and Olivia.