Alfred Martinez

EMILIANO ALFRED "AL" MARTINEZ Memorial services for longtime Dove Creek resident Emiliano Alfred "Al" Martinez will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, November 18 at the Dove Creek Community Center. Al was born Jan. 14, 1947 to Emiliano "Benny" and Loyola Martinez in Cortez. He went to be home with the Lord on Saturday, November 14, 2009. Al grew up in Ogden, Utah in his early childhood later moving to Colorado. He went to high school in Dove Creek and participated in the wrestling program. He joined the US Navy in 1965 and spent 4 years in service to his country on the ship U.S.S. Granville S. Hall "YAG40." During this time, Al was based out of Pearl Harbor. He was an electronics technician and he worked on top secret bio and chemical warfare project named Project Shad. His mission was not declassified until July of 2002. Al's shipmates said he was loyal and brave and one was quoted saying, "One day when we were out to sea, Al informed me that we could call him Mex." Al married Ida Marie Buffington in 1971 and to this union was blessed with five children. Some of his best times spent were with his family and he really enjoyed spending time with his seven grandchildren. Oldest to youngest, Tyson Smith, Jasmine Martinez, Isaiah Martinez, Bailey Martinez, Pancho Martinez, Cayden Martinez and Buck Martinez. He took special joy in teaching his grandson Isaiah the tools of the trade. He even took the time to make him his own tools and stool so he could help his grandpa. Al leaves behind his children, Terry James, Benny and wife, Stacy, Debbie, Geoff and significant other, Beth, and Zac and wife, Ana; his five brothers, Dave Martinez and wife, Carol, Julian Martinez and wife, Jane, Gary Martinez and wife Brenda, Steve Martinez and wife, Becky, and Mark Martinez and wife, Stephenie; his four sisters, Annie Walck and husband, Lewis, Patsy Martinez, Sylvia Yvette and Christina Montgomery, and Al was also blessed with his cousins who were in the household, Ruby, Emily and Teddy. He was preceded in death by his beautiful daughter, Debbie and son Terry. Al also has many cousins, uncles and aunts, nieces and nephews who will miss him. Al loved being involved with the wrestling program and the wrestlers and enjoyed watch his family wrestle. Al's occupation was in the construction industry and there wasn't any job that he wouldn't try. His best attribute was his servant attitude to help others no matter what time of day or what the job consisted of or who it was even if they weren't his friends. He will be missed but remembered. "Old sailors never die, they just go to hell and regroup." This quote was shared with Al by a fellow shipmate, Larry Richards.