Elias V. Martinez, 83, passed away unexpectedly, but peacefully, on Friday, June 5th, 2026 at his home in Santo Nino, NM.

Elias was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Olivia V. Martinez; his parents, Jose Ignacio and Ramona Lopez Martinez; his brother, Emilio Martinez, his maternal grandparents, Jose T. and Anna Maria Lopez; and his paternal grandparents, Patricio and Manuelita Martinez.

Elias was born on December 16, 1942, the eldest child of Jose and Ramona Martinez. He grew up in Santa Cruz. Elias attended McCurdy Mission school from first grade to his graduation in 1961. He studied hard and played and excelled in sports at McCurdy, lettering in football, basketball, and track. It was at McCurdy that he formed lifelong friendships with many schoolmates. After graduating, he set out to pursue his goal of becoming an Electrical Engineer. He attained that goal in 1965, becoming the first in his family to attend and graduate college, setting an example for his younger brothers and sisters.

While he was in Las Cruces finishing his degree, he came home one weekend and was asked by a friend to join him on a double date. His date for that evening was Olivia Vigil, an Espanola Hornet. Elias was enamored by Olivia, and after he started his first job with Westinghouse in Baltimore, MD, they were married in 1966. With his new family started after the birth of their son Chris, they moved to Las Cruces where Elias took a job at White Sands Missile Range with Computing and Software. It was there that their daughter Lydia was born. A few years later, Elias moved his family of four back to the Espanola Valley, when he took a job with the Zia Company at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory as a power distribution electrical engineer. He later joined the Lab and retired from Los Alamos National Laboratory at the early age of 50, and whenever asked if he planned on returning to work, he’d say “I got used to retirement the next day”. Elias spent his retirement years playing golf, building a family cabin in Northern New Mexico, traveling with Olivia, and supporting their 4 grandkids at McCurdy and St. Pius. He and Olivia attended as many school plays, track meets, and football, basketball, and volleyball games as they could.

Elias gave back to his community in many ways. Over the years, he served as a regent for Northern New Mexico College, was an at large member with the Jemez Co-op, and spent several years with the Knights of Columbus, where there he also made lifelong friends, and served as Grand Knight at one time. During the No Child Left Behind era in the early 2000s, he volunteered as a reading and math tutor for students in the Espanola Valley. Our dad was quietly generous. As a regent at Northern College, he was inspired by single mothers who he saw were struggling to pursue their education. In honor of his mother, he established a scholarship at NMSU targeting students of northern New Mexico with an emphasis on single mothers needing assistance. He enjoyed traveling to Las Cruces occasionally to meet recipients of his scholarship. Later, along with his children, he set up a scholarship at Northern New Mexico College in honor of his late wife.

We will remember our dad, brother, grandfather, and friend as a man who lived life on his own terms. He was a quiet man, but while being a man of very few words, above all, he took care of his family in amazing ways. He was the ultimate family provider. While he was glad that he was able to retire before needing to use a computer at work, one of his favorite pastimes was to be on his computer, keeping his mind sharp with Sudoku and Solitaire, and mastering the art of sharing Facebook posts about how proud he was of his kids, and especially his grandkids. Our hearts are broken with the loss of Elias. His friends, siblings, kids and grandkids will miss his texts checking on how we are doing or who we thought was going to win the game he was watching.

Elias is survived by his son, Chris Martinez and wife Lisa; daughter Lydia Torres and husband Manuel; his grandchildren, Andres Martinez and wife Xitlaly, Jacob Martinez and fiancé Lexi Montoya, Zachary Torres, and Eliana Torres; great-granddaughter Araceli Olivia Martinez, sisters, Cecilia Martinez, Patricia Martinez-Strong and husband Mark; sister-in-law Magda Martinez; brother, Gene Martinez and wife Lorena; brothers-in-law, Leroy Vigil and Michael Vigil; sisters-in-law Margaret Cata, Joann Salazar and husband Joe; and numerous nieces and nephews whom he loved dearly.

A Public Viewing will take place in the Sangre de Cristo Chapel of DeVargas Funeral Home in Espanola, NM, on Sunday, June 28, 2026, at 5:00 pm, with a Wake Service  to start at 6:00 pm.

A Rosary will be recited at 10:00 am on Monday, June 29, 2026, with Mass to follow at 11:00 am at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Santa Cruz, NM.  Burial to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery

Serving as Pallbearers are Andres and Jacob Martinez, Zachary Torres, Eric B. Martinez, Marcos Martinez, and Eric I. Martinez. 

Serving as Honorary Pallbearers are Mercedes Bolt, Carmen Anaya, Eliana Torres, and Vicente Salazar.

The family of Elias Martinez has entrusted the care of their loved one to DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the beautiful Espanola Valley.  505-747-7477