Ana Alicia Martinez's Obituary
With both sadness and great gratitude we celebrate the remarkable life of Ana Alicia Gaona Martinez who slipped away from this mortal coil on June 17, 2025, at the age of 98. She was born on October 21, 1926, in her mother's home on Mott Street in East Los Angeles. She was the third of five children born to the late Rafael Cortez and Mariana Fernandez Gaona. Her four siblings, Velia, Arnold, Esthela, and Armida, predeceased her. Ana was the beloved mother of Olivia Walsh (Dennis), Louis Martinez (Dolly), and Beatriz Donatelli (Michael). She was the cherished grandmother of Anaelisa Romero, Alexandria Riggs, Nicolas Martinez, and Katie Martinez, as well as a loving step-grandmother to Becki, Allen, and Joseph. She was also the great-grandmother of Julia Romero, Maxwell Riggs, and Samantha Riggs. Ana was predeceased by her beloved husband of 61 years, Miguel Padilla Martinez, and her dear grandson, Julio Romero. She will be deeply missed. Ana cherished spending time with her family. An excellent seamstress, Ana worked for Ratner Clothier in San Diego for nearly 20 years, earning a small pension, and went on to use those skills to create many beautiful quilts cherished by all who were lucky enough to receive one. She was an avid traveler, visiting Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Panama, Puerto Rico, Aruba, Jamaica, Grenada, St. Thomas, the Caribbean, Canada, England, Spain, Italy, Monaco, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal, Gibraltar, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Iceland, Finland, Denmark, Turkey, Morocco, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Vatican City. She also enjoyed the Spanish cities of Mallorca and Malaga. Ana loved playing card games, especially Pula, a card game that originated in Mexico, and Malilla, a Spanish card game popular in Mexico, as well as other traditional Mexican card games. She enjoyed crafting handmade cards, delighting many with her creativity. Outgoing and warm, Ana made friends easily and was active at the Senior Centers in Laguna Woods and Temecula, where she delighted in bingo and other activities. When she had the chance, she enjoyed penny slot machines at local casinos. Ana's vibrant spirit and love for life will live on in the hearts of those who knew her.
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