Joe Onofre Martinez

01 Aug 1930 - 16 Sept 1968

1.  Joe Onofre¹ Martinez  (Fernandez Antonio^A, Jose Eliseo^B, Francisco^C) was born 01 Aug 1930 in Kearns, Colorado, and died 16 Sep 1968 in Burley, Foxcreek County, Idaho.  He married Patricia Rebecca Martinez, daughter of Antonio Martinez and Rebecca Romero. 

He married Patricia on February 15, 1952 at the Red River Arsenal in the Chapel, in Texarkana, Texas.  Father John Matzner performed the ceremony.  Their wedding day was supposed to be on Valentine's Day, but they did not get the blood tests back in time, so it had to be postponed for one day.   Joe and Patricia lived in New Boston after marrying, a few miles away from the army camp, in what Patricia describes as "a little cottage where the wives lived".   They lived rather modestly, as the monthly salary for a corporal was $117.00 per month  While in the Army, Joe was boxing in the Special Services and would travel around to Louisiana and other places to show his ware. Also, while at the army camp, Joe would take care of the gym on Saturdays and Sundays and was very good on the trampoline and with a jump rope. They lived there until April 15, 1952, when he got orders to go to Korea. He was given 15 days to go home to Alamosa and get prepared.  Because Patricia's father, Antonio Maria Martinez worked for the railroad, Patricia had a free pass to ride the train, so Joe and Patricia took a train back to Alamosa.  After the 15 days of preparation, Joe headed out on a train to Pittsburg, California and would get on a ship from there.  It took him 11 days to get to Japan and then they went onto Korea.  He served in Korea for 9 months, leaving Alamosa in April 1952 and returning in January of 1953.   He had served a total of 2 years in the U.S. Army.

Joe died in Burley, Idaho, leaving behind his wife Patricia and 5 children (Alan Matthew (age 14), Michael Anthony (age 13), Joseph Patrick (age 12), Patricia Jo (age7), and Cynthia Marie (3).   Joe's body was brought back to Colorado and he is buried at Alamosa City Cemetery, Alamosa, Colorado. 

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