Born Mary Yvonne Martinez on 8-29-1936 in Santa Barbara. Mary's parents were Ernest Valentine Martinez of Carpinteria and his wife Annie.
Mom grew up in in Santa Barbara, during a unique time. They had a huge yard on W. Sola St. which ended at mission creek and the railroad tracks. The yard included her father’s contractor equipment area, a family fruit orchard and garden that was Mom and her sisters’ responsibility to water, weed and pick.
They did not have pets but had chickens and rabbits, like the garden and fruit trees they were also a part of the family food source. Mom and her sisters recall in the forty’s standing at attention and saluting the solders going off to war as the train crossed the other side of the cement wall bordering the back yard where they would entertain themselves, sometimes by sitting on the wall, playing cars or train bingo. They also spent a lot of time in the yard jumping rope, playing marbles, jacks, hopscotch and cowboys and Indians. Like Mom’s activities and hero’s, Roy Rodgers and Dale Evans, Mom’s sister Patti liked Gene Autry, certainly it seems a very different time that has long passed. The girls always walked to school, attending Franklin, La Cumbre and Santa Barbara High Schools, where mom graduated in 1955.
Mary was married in 1956, started having children in 1958, six altogether, Donald, Yvonne, Barbara, Kenneth, Robert and James. She was a stay at home Mom for a number of years and was an accomplished crafts person, she could make just about anything and often would enroll us in the production process during the holidays. In 1973 mom entered the work force for the first time in her life as a single mom, she started working at local hotels and eventually at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital where she stayed until her retirement in 1998.
Once retired, Mom quickly began to enjoy a new chapter in her life. She really enjoyed the quiet life around the house until she would see someone in the yard she did not recognize, then the phones would start ringing, she was the lioness of her domain, which we liked to teased her about. She became an avid reader and could often be found curled up with a Sue Grafton mystery book, she finished the entire series. Mom would also volunteer at the senior center, where she would spend a lot of time over the years in various roles and where she began to explore many of her interests including practicing yoga and Thai Chi. She traveled to Ireland, something she also always wanted to do. Mom enjoyed taking long walks around the neighborhood, then just the yard until she was unable to but she still enjoyed her books and watched her favorite TV shows daily.
Apparently raising six kids and the senior center was not challenging enough, Mom also adopted a kitten named Toki. She would get up at 4:00 am to feed Toki when asked why, Mom would say “because that’s when he likes to eat” Mom and Toki where a definitely a pair, she nurtured him like a small child and neither of them like to be apart for very long, she took care of Toki herself unless she could not get up.
Lately Mom continued forging her own path her way, by defying the laws of nature and science on so many levels, it left many questioning these events and wondering how she became who she was. One morning after one of her many miraculous recoveries Mom matter of factly stated “ boy even I thought I was a goner last night”, no tears, complaining and no self pity. She very much enjoyed living a simple life, she was small in stature, big in heart with a keen sense of humor and a sharp wit. She was often quiet and modest on the outside, while on the inside as strong and resilient as the mighty Oak from her native state. Missed by all she touched, all she stood for and all she represented, that is who she was.
Mary Yvonne Martinez Felts passed away peacefully on 7-22-2019 surrounded by some of her large family. Mary is survived by all her children, her sisters Patrica and Judith, her grandchildren Donald Jr, Kristina, Alexis, Caleb, Joshua, Danielle, Michelle, Michael and more aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews from the Martinez, Villaba and Savala families, as well as the unofficial adopted family members that are also too numerous to mention.
The family would like to warmly thank Connie and all the doctors, nurses and caregivers that helped our Mom through her journey the past few years, your care and efforts meant so much to us and will not be forgotten.
In lieu of flowers, please make any donations to the Goleta Valley Senior Center 5679 Hollister Ave. Goleta Ca. 93117
Placement will be on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at 9am. At the Calvary cemetery 199 N. Hope Ave. Santa Barbara Ca. 93110