Obituary of Stephen Martinez

Stephen Anthony Martinez, 72, of Celina, Texas passed away December 5, 2021 after a long illness. He was courageous to the end. A celebration of Stephen’s rich and rewarding life will be held at a later date. Stephen was born in Los Angeles on April 10, 1949 to Jose and Lillian (nee Petterez) Martinez and was the only boy in a family of six children. He remained close to many of his early classmates from Martha Baldwin and to his beloved teacher Jacqueline Coulette. He went to high school at Don Bosco Tech, an experience that shaped his life and helped hone his technical and engineering skills. Stephen went to Pepperdine University, and did a junior year abroad in Heidelberg, Germany – an experience that truly expanded his world and changed his life. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in pre-law from Santa Barbara University. He initially worked as a machinist, a field in which he took great pride, and then entered the corporate world, working for GM, Dell, Hughes Aircraft and finally Raytheon Company in supply chain and contracts managerial roles. His work took him from California to Arizona and finally Texas. He was very proud of his work in the defense industry and in supporting our troops. Stephen was a modern Renaissance man – highly talented, adaptable, adventurous and interested in many different fields. He built choppers, restored cars, engineered motors, made knives, did woodworking, built furniture, kept honey bees – the list goes on and on. He enjoyed slalom waterskiing, which, to the amazement of his doctors, he did even after his diagnosis of brain cancer, boating, camping, sailing, touring on his motorcycle with his wife and buddies, attending car shows with his prize-winning rebuilt Camaro and truck, and working on his home and yard. No job was too unpleasant for Stephen – he would tackle any task at hand. He even rewired his motorcycle seats to allow his wife to have heated gear on those cold night rides. Stephen traveled extensively and enjoyed both luxurious surroundings as well as down to earth camping. Once on a sailboat in the British Virgin Islands, he fended off three pirates single-handedly earning the respect of many people there. Stephen and his wife also enjoyed many travel adventures with his sister Patricia and her husband Bob. Although busy with his many hobbies and projects, he always found time for family and friends and would generously offer help to anyone who needed it. He delighted in gift-giving and had trouble keeping gifts a secret. He had a zest for life and a big warm protective personality. His last project, a collage of photos of his two sons, shows his sentimental side and highlights his joy in having been a father. Stephen lived life exuberantly and well and will be sorely missed by so many people who love him including his wife, Debbie Martinez, his mother Lillian, sons Michael (wife Angela) and Sean (wife Tina), stepson Jonathan Kaul, stepdaughter Maya Kaul, sisters Patricia Larson (husband Bob Franklin), Anna Camarena and Rosemary Mendoza, friend Liz McElhaney, Debbie’s siblings Alan Kessler, (wife Maggie) Diane Cohen (husband Sid) and Wendy Kessler (husband David Levin ) and many loving nieces and nephews on both Stephen’s side of the family as well as Debbie’s. Stephen had a large loving group of cousins, including Rudy Petterez, his godson, to whom he was very close. Stephen also lived long enough to meet his first grandchild, baby Andrew James Martinez, who brought him much joy. In lieu of flowers, Stephen would be most pleased to have a donation in his name to any organization that supports veterans. See you down the road, Baby.