Celestino Martinez
Celestino Martinez, age 92, beloved Husband, Father, G-grandfather, greatgrand-father, brother and uncle was called to his eternal resting place on May 18, 2018 in Grants, NM.
Celestino was born on September 26, 1925 in Seboyeta, NM to Secundino and Margarita Martinez.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Celia, his parents and siblings, Prudencio Martinez, Paulita Romero, Dora Garcia and Benito Martinez.
He is survived by his beloved children, John Martinez, Margaret and Tony Griego, Tina Martinez and her partner Art Mendoza, Raul Martinez and his partner Mika Rascon, Ignacio Martinez and his sister, Feliz Garcia. Celestino is also survived by twelve grand-children, seventeen great-children and numerous nephews and nieces.
Throughout his entire life Celestino was the epitome of a hard worker. He started working on a farm in Bibo at the age of twelve, but as much as he liked it, he said he was only paid in beans. At age sixteen he boarded a train to California looking for work and would end up working in the shipyards of San Francisco.
At the age of eighteen he was drafted and joined the Army. He was a first scout and a military policeman. Celestino was sent to Europe where he fought in the Northern France Campaign. He fought, endured, and survived the greatest land battle ever fought, the Battle of the Bulge. He was a member of the 424 Infantry 106 Infantry Division called The Golden Lyons. It was the only regiment, out of three, that were not overrun and forced to surrender. He also fought in the Rhineland Campaign and Central Europe Campaign.
Celestino, like most World War II veterans, came home and never talked about his time overseas. Just two years ago when asked about his time in the war he still would choke up and could not finish telling his children about his experiences.
After returning home from the war he found a job in construction. He worked in California up through Oregon building highways. Celestino met Celia in Pasadena, California and were married in 1954. They moved back to New Mexico later that year and he went to work for Anaconda Mill Works where he worked until he retired after twenty-seven years. Celestino also worked building houses and investing in real estate. They moved to Las Cruces in 1976 and continued doing construction and later started his own company. They moved to Albuquerque in 1987 where he lived until he moved to Grants with his daughter, Margaret.
Celestino lived his life to the fullest. He worked hard to provide for his family as his love for his family was self-evident. He made life-long friendships due to his charismatic personality. He was fun loving, caring, compassionate, and had a great sense of humor.
Celestino’s Rosary will be Tuesday May 29, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. at Church of Ascension on 2150 Raymac Rd SW. Mass will be Wednesday May 30, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.with reception following at Los Padillas Community Center on 2117 Los Padillas Rd. Burial will take place on Thursday May 31, 2018 at the National Cemetery in Santa Fe. Pallbearers will be his Grandsons; Marco Lopez, Michael Griego, Joseph Martinez, Raul Martinez Cabada, and Nick Martinez.
Honorary pallbearers will be Ernest Romero, Fred Chavez, Bernie Martinez, Tony Griego, Art Mendoza and Vicente Martinez.
In lieu of flowers family request donations be made to Honor Flight of Northern New Mexico PO Box 14103, Albuquerque NM 87191. Celestino was honored to be part of the inaugural Honor Flight of Northern NM in 2014, where he visited the World War II Memorial and other military monuments.