Gladys Martinez

Gladys was born January 9, 1935 Callista County, Kentucky to Luther and Mary (Gibbs) Rice, Sr. She was the 5th child of 9.

Gladys was the quintessential mom and grandma who loved her family and being around family events. She was very full of life and had the ability to turn things into much more fun than what they started as. She enjoyed cooking for family events, which she would try to make happen at least once a month and everyone loved it when she made her banana pudding. She was also famous for her spaghetti. Family dinners were important to her whether it meant trips to Old Country Buffet, and for birthdays some of the grandkids got to choose whether they got a new outfit or went to Sizzlers. Camping trips were big on her list too and they turned into great gatherings and a lot of fun because of mom.

There were too many stories of her life that she would have called favorites, but of the things in her life that she would be quick to list among her accomplishments, she would tell you her children were number one among the things she was proud of. Next on the list may well have been the jackpots she won from gaming and of course there was her pig collection. She had an opinion and generally speaking was not afraid to share it, but then there was that one certain smile she could give that let you know you had crossed the line.

She truly enjoyed gaming and taking time to do what gambling she did, would always bring the greatest smile to her face, probably because she knew how to hit the jackpots now and then. She also enjoyed calling people just to chat and see how they were doing. She liked making magnets as gifts and collecting pigs as well.

On February 25, 2016, she went back into the hands of our loving and merciful God. Gladys was preceded in death by her son Michael Wayne Grubb; brothers Joseph, Luther, and Leroy; and sisters Nell, Billy Jean and RuthAnn.

She is survived by her loving husband of 51 years Crespin Martinez of Port Orchard, daughters Jonda Smith (Smitty) of Lakebay, WA, Susan Duck (Eric) of Bremerton, Tonya Martinez-Eberhart (Bill) of Port Orchard, and Connie Arthur (Ed) of Ashland, Kentucky; sons Chris ‘Rico’ Martinez (Nicole) of Port Orchard, Russell ‘Woody’ Grubb of Greenup, Kentucky, and Timothy Grubb (Roisa) of Kenton, Ohio; sisters Josephine Stapleton of West Virginia, Betty Scaggs of Michigan and sister-in-law Mary Rice of Portsmouth, Ohio as well as numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, a great-great-grandchild, numerous nieces and nephews and many other dear friends and loved ones too numerous to count.

Mom had a special and unique relationship with each and every person in her life. Those relationships are what made mom multifaceted and shining like a diamond.

Quote from son Rico Martinez, We grieve not for those that have passed on, but for those that have to continue living without them.