Andres T. (Andy) Martinez

September 16, 1935 - March 2, 2015

Andres T. (Andy) Martinez passed away March 2, 2015 in Edmonds, Washington. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Mary (Garcia) Martinez, his children Janie (Meza), Andres (Andy) Jr., Martin (deceased), Deborah (Herzog), Lee, Maria Dolores (Martinez-Montiel), Maria Cristina (Gayden), and 24 grand- and great-grandchildren.

Andres was born in Mercedes, Texas, on September 16, 1935, and spent his early years doing agricultural work in the fields of Arizona, Tennessee, and Texas. His traveling days ended when he married Mary Garcia in 1955 in Sunnyside, Washington, and he lived the rest of his life in the state of Washington, mostly in Sunnyside, Quincy, and Moses Lake.

Andres served his country for eight years in the National Guard, and served his community all his life. His family and friends remember him always being involved in helping other people, with simple problems like filling out a form, and with the more complicated social issues of the day. He worked with the Columbia Basin Community Action Council, and with Northwest Rural Opportunities in Moses Lake, where he served for several years as the Columbia Basin Area Manager.

In the years before social services were as available as they are today, Andres Martinez was a tireless advocate for the poor, and was instrumental is securing assistance for many local families that today we take for granted. He was also an accomplished businessman, having established a bakery, a cafe, and an immigration consulting business. Although he was a role model of a good citizen, he was also concerned by the injustice he saw, and worked every day of his life to make the world a better place.

Andres loved his family more than anything in the world. He made lifelong friends, always treating people with respect. His favorite thing to do was listening and talking to people. He touched many lives with his generosity and wonderful sense of humor. He will be greatly missed.