Obituaries

Fernando V. Martinez Fernando V. Martinez, age 71, of Santa Paula, passed away Friday, October 22, 2004 at Ventura Community Memorial Hospital after a sudden illness.Mr. Martinez was born May 30, 1933 in Santa Paula and was a lifelong resident. He was a member of Laborers Union Local 585, having retired in 1989 after 28 years.He was a Korean War veteran, joining the Army when he was 16 years old. He received three medals while serving in Korea with the 40th Infantry “Sunburst” Division, a National Guard Unit called into service during the war there. He was very patriotic and loved the country that he served and proudly flew the American flag at his home. At last count, he had 180 flags displayed in his garage.Fernando was a very special man who never knew a stranger. He loved being with people and was always ready to help anyone in their time of need. He was always the life of the party and loved to dance. Always ready with a joke, a good laugh and a compliment, Fernando was always thinking of others.He loved his entire family and was deeply devoted to his wife of 41 years, Helen (Tootsie). He will be dearly missed by his beloved wife Tootsie, and sisters and brothers-in-law Mary and Raul Avendano and Virginia and Phillip Rangel, all of Ventura, Eleanor Collins of Thousand Oaks and Helen and Kenny Kidder of Tucson, Arizona; and also his brother and sister-in-law Felix and Stella Martinez of Santa Paula; many loving nephews and nieces and friends, especially all the children in his neighborhood whom he loved so much.