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Chris Martinez Obituary
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Memories and Condolences
for Chris Martinez
June 2, 2013
Thank you Chris for always making Ventura High School look so good.
briana carrillo
May 20, 2013
My condolences to your family. He was a great person and mentor for me, and always supported my love for art/animation/cartooning. I will never forget his encouragments and of course we all have our caricatures to remember him by.
Poinsettia 2006
Hank Tovar
May 20, 2013
My condolences to the Martinez family. My sons, Jackson, Austin and I spent many years painting murals and holiday windows with Chris. He was an incredibly talented artist, a great teacher and a friend. RIP Chris!
Pat Patterson
May 17, 2013
Chris...Your drawings line the HALLS of my MEMORIES. At all our many Company functions and parties YOU were the center of JOY and FUN. "You're singing in the company of SAINTS" now and forever!
Kelly Alfino
May 17, 2013
Sending my condolences to the Martinez & Burgos family. My heart is breaking for the loss of Chris. I have fond memories of this wonderful man & his beautiful sister Bertie and her family. They were such a close loving family . I am so grateful that back then I was a part of it. They shared their Christmas Eve's with me at Bertie & Henry's on Ralston in Ventura. I am lucky to have a few caricatures that Chris did. My most memorable is from Twenty years ago, Chris did an engagement portrait of my husband & I . I have another which is of his funny nephew, Patrick ( my roommate for many
years) & I. I can hear both of them laughing now about that caricature .They both got a kick out of that one! Pat, I know you remember.
Chris,Bertie & Gloria are partying in Heaven . I can see their smiles & hear their laughter s now. Heaven is a little brighter .
Chris and Matthew
Bekki Woertink
May 17, 2013
Our son, Matthew, started drawing with Chris when he was only 8 in a summer program at VC. He was too young for the class but he was determined to participate. We decided to take him and ask if Chris would allow him to stay. Chris made no promises but allowed him to sit through the first day and said he would make a decision when the class was over. Well, after a few short hours he had won Chris over with his artistic abilities, focus and determination in class, he said it surpassed many of the adult participants attending. He saw Matt had a gift and was thrilled to be his mentor. He was so little and his portfolio case was bigger than he was, but that summer a young artist emerged and a relationship between the two started that would last for many years. He will be missed but I am sure he already has the angels lined up to draw their portraits! RIP Chris!!!! Ventura will not be the same without you!
J.M. y Kathy Romero
May 16, 2013
We will always remember our querido primo as a gifted,personable and witty guy. We all grew up together on Charles Street in Moorpark. Las familias,Romero,Almeida,Garcia,Tafoya,
Duarte, Valencia,Palafox, Burgos and others will always remember his legacy.
Art and baseball were among his life long talents. We have a set of caricatures he made of our family in 1977 in Mt Angel, Oregon while on tour promoting Pental products. Chis, Debbie and Danny would visit us in So, Pasadena while he was at Long Beach State and I was at Cal State. He loved Kathy's corn beef taquitos with goacamole. Condolences and sympathy to his family. Que Dios lo guarde y bendiga alli en los cielos.
Rita Abraham
May 15, 2013
Chris was an amazing teacher. I learned more about life drawing from him than in all my high school art classes. He was a champion for art and artists. He will be missed.
Bill Grewe
May 15, 2013
Chris is the only adult I know who is remembered at his elementary school. His great work emblazons the entrance to Will Rogers Elementary School. No textured museum light, just the laughing and hollering of kids just as he would want it. I always liked the way Chris listened to a baseball game: He'd open the doors and windows so the sound could follow him about as he went in and out and room-to-room. Chris could accumulate clutter with the best of them but everything had a story. It was really the stories he was hanging onto. My condolences to his family. A good man has left us.
Brian Lane
May 15, 2013
Chris worked with my father many years ago at TI in Oxnard where I met him. He was a talented artist and I have a couple of his drawings at my home here in Washington. He will be missed. RIP Chris.
Shirley Hansen
May 15, 2013
May your hearts soon be filled with wonderful memories of joyful times together as you celebrate a life well lived.
Fran Owens
May 15, 2013
Chris was always helping others. He was an awesome artist. He was an awesome friend. Miss you, Chris.
mary ann morales
May 14, 2013
I am sorry for your loss, I enjoyed his drawings while coming in for a visit to the clinic I worked at. Condolences to the family.
Nick Duenez
May 14, 2013
I was incredibly shocked to hear of Chris' passing last night... He was such an influence on me and my pursuit of animation.I'm so glad he drew numerous caricatures of me in class and always believed in me and my talent. Ventura has truly lost one of its hallmark figures. I'm so blessed to have had the opportunity to know him and learn form one of the best, most patient, gifted teachers out there! My prayers are with your family Chris.
Linda Potter
May 14, 2013
Chris was the big hit at my husbands retirement party, drawing all of the guests. A great person. Beautiful talent.
Jami Knupp
May 14, 2013
Chris will be truly missed. My prayers to his family.
Shirley Lorraine
May 14, 2013
Chris was a dear friend for over 40 years. We grew up together and entertained at many of the same venues. He was a treasure. Always encouraging, always giving to others.
tom farmer
May 14, 2013
Great guy. Never lost sight of where he came from or how hard he'd worked to get there. He will truly be missed.
Kori La Lima Wilson
May 13, 2013
Peace be with your family at this time. Chris will be very missed. Over 20 years ago he painted my megaphone used for cheer leading at VHS. My daughters asked me who had painted on them just the other day. I showed them the caricature Chris did of me in my cheer uniform. His footprint move on.
Bernadette DiPietro
May 13, 2013
Sending my condolances to Chris' family. He was an amazing man, and a wonderful artist. So sorry to read about his passing today. Love to the family
Colleen McDougal
May 13, 2013
My friend and mentor, taught me how to draw caricatures... he made it look SO EASY! I am picturing Chris with pad of paper and sharpie pen in hand, stirring it up right now with angels and saints, commanding the room with his charm and wit -- work it, Chris. Until we meet again...
Stacy Howery
May 13, 2013
Tina, Danny, Randy and Melissa I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I have many fond memories of the summers spent on the softball fields.
Christina Companion-Haley
May 13, 2013
I played softball and was friends with Tina growing up. Mr. Martinez helped coach us girls for Tri-Valley. Such a nice guy. I will remember all his art work around Ventura and on the store front windows. My deepest condolances to the family. I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers.
Warm Regards,
Sherry Dunn Leal
May 13, 2013
Sorry for you loss. He was my softball coach back in the 70's and I have never forgotten him. I saw him a several years ago and he did drawings of my two daughters. He will always hold a special place in my heart. God Bless you all.
Benjami,Mary L,. & family Romero
May 13, 2013
Martinez,& Burgos family,I haven't seen cousin Chris for at least five years or so,but our memories of him on 412 Magnolia St. in Moorpark are quite fresh in our minds.Very creative,witty,& a pleasure to talk to & see on the mound during the early 60's.On behalf of the entire Romero,Paredes,& Rivera families of Moorpark,& throughout the country,we send our deepest condolences on Chris' passing.I had been following Chris'medical condition through cousin Pat,& we share your loss.The Martinez family legacy will live on through cousin Chris, his parents, siblings,& children
Peter Drake
May 13, 2013
I am really sorry to learn of Chris passing. I treasure the caricatures he did of me and my friends over the years. Even with his continuing health problems he always had a warm smile and a positive word. Sadly I hadn't seen him for awhile and it is always when one see's this notices that one wishes contact had been earlier. My condolences to Chris family and many friends. Peter
Victoria Borjesson
May 13, 2013
My condolences go out to the family of Chris. I am so sorry to learn of Chris's passing. He was blessed with the gift of art and his ability to share it with everyone. I feel fortunate that we were friends and very happy that I was able to photograph Chris during our friendship and artistic collaborations, and capture some true moments of him in his element such as the photo above. I will treasure my caricatures that he gave me.
Chris...you are now at peace and can paint the walls of Heaven!
Suzi Lopez - Ring
May 13, 2013
I had the pleasure of having Chris as my softball couch for years. What a great time we had. I can still hear him say, "your draggig the piano Suzi"! My thougts and prayers are with the Martinez family.
Mark Schneider
May 13, 2013
My condolences to the Martinez family. I was fortune to take a class with my son at VC with Chris, he was an amazing teacher as well as an artist. He also did our first company mascot. It is hard to be a lifetime Venturian and not have enjoyed some of his work. He will be missed.
Dot Renshaw
May 13, 2013
Artists share a small world. We all knew each other, supported each other, and were advocates for each other. Chris and I knew of each other through parallel lives. I ran across him several times into life ranging from art education conferences, mural painting, Chtistmas windows, and even seeing him my relative's party doing caricatures. He was a renaissance man and could do it all and did. The art community mourns such an inspirational talent and energy.
Norma Morales
May 12, 2013
What a joy it was to know Chris. I was very saddened to learn of his passing. As someone else said, Chris was truly one of Ventura's treasures. God bless Chris and may his children and family find peace knowing he was loved by many many friends.
Barbara Page
May 12, 2013
Chris was a personal and professional friend. He was talented, wise and generous. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
May 12, 2013
My condolences to the Martinez family. Chris left a beautiful legacy of sharing his many and unique talents. My earliest special memory of Chris (at age 10) was his play about Columbus, in which he starred and authored at Will Rogers Elementary. Development of his God-given artistic talents, intellect, and devotion to family were gifts to behold. He cherished his wife Debbie and as his neighbor and co-worker, we grieved her loss. When Chris returned to Ventura, our community became his canvass by blessing us with his delightful window art and murals. He truly was one of Ventura's treasures, who humbly brought joy to all. May God continue to comfort his family and friends with fond memories of Chris!
Lovingly,
Sue Schroff Cherrie
Ken and Ruth Olive
May 12, 2013
We have known Chris for years. His daughter Tina, and our daughter, Audra played a lot of softball together. See a lot of Chris' charactures at Art's Corner Cafe in Ventura.
sandy lopez-donaldson
May 12, 2013
I have such fond memories of coach on the softball field he gave so much of his time and passion he will be missed:(
Jerry Burns
May 12, 2013
I have known Chris since elementary school. May the love you feel for the one you lost lessen your sorrow.
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