Deborah K. Martinez

50. Went home to be with the Lord on March 17, 2014. Survived by siblings, Jose (Joanna) Martinez, Mary Martinez, Robert (Nancy) Martinez, William Martinez and Rebecca Martinez, also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Visitation 10 AM. Funeral Service 11 AM. Monday, March 24, 2014 all at Romero Funeral Chapel, Denver. Reception to follow service at Romero Reception Center located on the premises. My sister was taken suddenly - but I feel her presence around me - I feel her love for us today - I am comforted by a strong sense that she is free and that we'll see each other again. My sister Deb was an incredible person. I recall the first time she came into my life, I was four. I fell in love with her the day she arrived from the hospital. Beautiful, more beautiful than my dollies. I have memories of her, so many great memories. It's difficult to know what to share - which ones will bring her to life for you today…..I also invite you to share your memories, whether here today or later, as we celebrate her life. Deb was free-spirited, fearless, tender hearted, funny… she could get me laughing like no one else…incredibly smart…and she was committed.... committed even when she was angry with you. Once when were small we argued, and she was so mad - when I tried to get her to play outside a very short time later, she wasn't having any of it. She turned to me, she was then a cute little girl of 8, and said - "I just can't stop my feelings, I'm not like you, I don't understand how to not be mad at you". I looked at her and said "you can be mad, that's okay….I am not sorry and you don't have to say you're sorry…it's just so nice outside, we need to go outside and play." She looked at me , just looked at me….I don't think she heard anything other than I knew she was mad, and it was okay. A few minutes went by and she got up off the couch, a bit slowly, followed me outside, trusting me and trying to shake off the anger. We had a great time that day , kids always do, but I relay this story because this was Deb - passionate, committed, emotionally invested in everything she felt strongly about - even as a small girl. Deb's chosen profession was teaching. When Deb was in public elementary school, maybe 2nd grade, she had difficulty understanding lessons, when she asked a teacher to help her understand the teacher just repeated the same words for the lesson, again, and again. Deb later told me even as a little kid she couldn't understand why repeating the same words, the same way was considered helping someone understand. She was forced to meet after school with the teacher, many days - it felt like punishment to me, so I can imagine how she felt. But, she was so smart; she realized that her teacher didn't know her and was unaware of her ability, and that she really wasn't a slow learner. This was a pivotal turning point, and why Deb went into teaching, why her focus became knowing the child, their culture, their way of learning to allow any child to be successful, to feel successful in learning. Deb worked hard at obtaining a teaching degree at the University of Northern California. It wasn't easy for her, no family nearby and money was incredibly tight, she worked through college and the classes , very difficult, but she graduated with an Elementary Education and Bilingual/Bicultural degree from a top educational teaching school in Colorado, completing a five year program in four years. When her graduating class was asked to vote in a commencement speaker, she wrote in Eddie Murphy, the comedian on Saturday Night Live….and she was serious because he changed comedy, he called out social inequalities that were layered over cultural perspectives. Plus he was really, really funny. After graduation she accepted a teaching position on the Navajo Indian reservation in Kayenta, Arizona. She applied and was hired. She shared she compared Kayenta to a military outpost with a grocery store, a trading post, restaurant and gas station…and the post office which was the link to the outside world. She loved the people and the environment, appreciated the Navajo culture, and learned how to think as a Navajo". She often said this was the most creative, productive, time in her career - it was difficult living there - but she was committed to teaching, she was, I quote, " committed to teaching linguistically diverse students in their dominant cultures" Joanne and Anthony probably understand this lingo, they're the teachers in our family , for me it just sounds cool. Her colleagues, the principal, parents, and student had nothing but admiration and sincere appreciation for her teaching skills generously shared with the school and community - words from them given to me personally when I would visit - many awards for her teaching were given to her during those years. She joined the Peace Corp, in 1995. Her role was to create and establish the first Teacher Resource Center to cover a 50 mile radius in the Dominican Republic. She learned new sides to her personality, adventure and fun - her words. Her role was to become a member of the community and motivate a village to support the center, to support their teachers, while sharing her learned techniques that would enable them to grow in their teaching career. My sister, Mary and I went to the D.R. to attend her wedding. It was amazing to see the entire village attend, it was overwhelming. As her family members, we were warmly embraced, treated like royalty and I was told she was the first volunteer that was considered one of the village, a high honor, and that they were grateful she had come to help them. Other volunteers had attempted to start this program but failed - only Deb understood them. This was not an easy job, again, little money, none of her family members in the next village… she contracted Dengue Fever…. but Deb never wanted easy and she felt blessed to be there. She came back to Colorado, applied for a teaching position in Denver and was hired. She had experienced firsthand the struggles and understanding of English as a second language learner and she was committed to leave no child behind. She was considered a Master Teacher by many of her colleagues. But she had a difficult time fitting into the mold of what was required, teach children in English and don't incorporate their original language into the lessons - imagine her disappointment, she was back in her 2nd grade situation, only she was the teacher. She left Denver and was hired in Pueblo, where she met one Principal that allowed her to teach as she had been trained. People I've talked to during this stage of her life say she was their mentor, she was a strong child advocate, she was a gifted teacher, they loved her. By the waym, while in Colorado, she earned two educational master degrees. At fourteen Deb asked Jesus into her life, asked him into her heart, prayed the salvation prayer. A few months earlier that year I had done the same thing. Her faith in the Lord was strong, she loved the Lord. I have prayed with Deb for 36 years. I've prayed with her over the phone in every country I visited - Her prayers for me were special, God breathed, God inspired, she knew God. And I'm more than certain that she has prayed, at one time or another, for everyone here today. It was a privilege to be her sister. I will continue to aspire to be like her. I will be more committed to be brave, to be passionate, and to be tender hearted, to help those in need, to not be easily discouraged when things get tough, to fight for what is right, and to always go to the mat for what I believe. In closing - what I'd like to have you remember about our sister is : Our sister loved her family, her brothers and sisters, her nephews and nieces, they were her heartbeat. Our sister loved teaching children; this was her calling, her gift. Our sister loved God, his power and majesty. Our sister was a force, she will be missed.