Elvira G. Martinez

Elvira Martinez walked this earth for what was to us, a very short time.  She died March 4, 2021, at the age of 96.  She spent her last hours with her family in the comfort of her home. She was the daughter of Victor and Filomena Garcia and was married to Emiliano Martinez, with whom she had four sons and two daughters.

Mother came from a family of humble and poor beginnings, but who was rich with love, kindness, and joy.  She would often recall and say how even when there was little food that had to be shared by all at meal time, there was always joking and laughter at the table.  She couldn’t remember when there was fighting or arguing in her home growing up.

Mother was generous, kind, and dependable.  But, she was also demanding and proud, and had high expectations of her children.  She had a fifth grade education, but as mothers do, she wanted better for her children.  She encouraged all her children to do well in school and we all graduated from high school, but she encouraged her daughters---relentlessly---to go to college and get a career.  Needless to say, she got what she demanded from us and we both became teachers.  When we asked her “Why your daughters and not your sons?”  She simply answered, “Because with an education and a career, you never have to be dependent on any man!”  And as her daughter, I thank God for her demanding way, because, as usual, she was RIGHT!

Mother never worked outside of the home. Her family—husband, children, grandchildren---were her life.  She did her best to provide everything we needed in life.   We never went to school without breakfast, and we always wore clean clothes.  One memory of this dedication to her children was when she got ill with strep throat.  As she was cooking and serving breakfast, all that could be seen were her eyes because she had covered herself from head to toe in order to protect her children from getting sick!  But she was still up, sick as she was, making sure we had all we needed for the day, as she did for us all her life.

She spent her life in devotion to her family and, in the end, passed away surrounded by their love.  She was profoundly loved and will be greatly missed every single day.  We can only hope that we made her life as rich and full as she helped make ours.

Until we meet again, we will rest easy knowing she is watching over us.

Elvira was deeply loved and will be profoundly missed not only by her family and friends but by all those fortunate to have known her.

Elvira was preceded in death by her husband, Emiliano Martinez; 2 sons: Emilio and Daniel Martinez; her parents, and 5 brothers and 1 sister.

Left behind to eternally treasure their memories of her are her children: Eduardo (Elida) Martinez, Jose L. Martinez, Dolores (Alfonso) Garcia, and Diana M. Lucio; 13 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews, friends, and extended family members.

Visitation will begin at 4:00 p.m. and continue through 8:00 p.m. with the recitation of the holy rosary, which will be live streamed, scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in the East Chapel at Darling-Mouser Funeral Home. Visitation will resume at 12 noon on Thursday and continue until we depart for the funeral service. A Funeral Liturgical Service is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 555 W. St. Francis St., Brownsville, TX. Committal services will follow at Rose Lawn Memorial Gardens.

Elvira’s grandsons: Daniel Martinez, Jr., George Jr., Ysidro, and Teodoro Lucio, E. J. Martinez, and R. C. Cisneros are honored to be serving as pallbearers for their beloved grandmother.

Eduardo Martinez, Jose L. Martinez, Zac Martinez, Alfonso Z. Garcia, Jason Molandes, Jesus Guerrero and Luke Fruia will serve as honorary pallbearers.  We will continue to adhere to our policy of 50 persons within the funeral home at all times due to the COVID situation. A face mask and social distancing policies will be required during all services at all times.