Luis Joel Martinez

LUIS JOEL MARTINEZ, 50, died of cancer on Wednesday, November 12, 2003, at his home in Houston, Texas. Martinez was loved by many in Houston and throughout the nation for his tireless dedication to fighting HIV/AIDS. Those who knew him were always enriched by his presence, his warmth and generosity, and above all, his humor. There was always a light in Joel's eyes, as if he understood from the beginning that his purpose was to pass on an understanding of the value of each and every day. Joel was born in Harlingen, Texas, on January 29, 1953. He was admired for his amazing combination of intellect, compassion, and achievement. After winning Brownsville public school essay contests, serving as student council President and graduating as 1970 Salutatorian of Brownsville High School, Joel won a scholarship to Rice University, from which he graduated cum laude in 1976. After graduating from Columbia University School of Law, Joel joined the Houston office of Vinson & Elkins where he practiced tax law and international law until 1983, when he left to found his own law firm, Martinez & Anderson. While still practicing law, Joel also founded and served as business manager for a respected design firm, The Idylwood Group. With his diagnosis of HIV/AIDS in 1986 Martinez' life and life work changed course. Frustrated by the lack of adequate treatment information available to patients and their physicians, Joel became a lay expert on medical issues relating to HIV/AIDS and one of the country's most respected advocates on treatment issues. Locally, Joel served as the head of treatment information and advocacy for the Houston Clinical Research Network at the Montrose Clinic from 1993 through 1995. In 1995, Joel co-founded The Center for AIDS: Hope & Remembrance Project, where he served as a director until February 2003. Despite his own health battles over seventeen years and his incredible commitment to his work on HIV/AIDS issues, Joel somehow continued to pursue a wide variety of interests. With his life partner Vann, he raised and showed many champion Corgies and Basenjis at dog shows around the country. Joel was a founding board member of DiverseWorks Artspace; a former member of the advisory board of Houston Grand Opera; a former trustee of the Texas Human Rights Foundation, the Houston Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus, and Amigos Volunteers in Education and Service (AVES). He was an accomplished classical pianist, and the favorite chef of those invited to dinner parties at his home. A talented poet and author of short stories, Joel was working to complete his Masters of Art in Creative Writing at the University of Houston. Joel's family and friends are very grateful to his doctors for their many years of devoted and compassionate care, especially Drs. Adan Rios, Joseph Gathe, Jr., and Shannon Schrader. More recently, Joel received wonderful care and comfort from Dr. Bonnie Glisson as well as other doctors and staff at M. D. Anderson Hospital, who assisted him in spending his last weeks at his own home, surrounded by those he loved. Joel was predeceased by his father, Luis Martinez, of Frisco, Texas. Joel is survived by his life partner of twenty-two years, Vann Vaughan; his mother, Teresa Pena; sisters Rebecca Duniven, (and husband Alan) and Zoe Murphy (and husband Jim); brother Harry Martinez; nieces Kym Weisman (and husband Bob), Deidra Goff (and husband Greg), Lori Renteria (and husband Rolando), and Megan Murphy; nephew Aaron Salinas (and wife TJ); and grandnieces and grandnephews Juliette Goff and Lilia Grace Salinas, Charles and Kyle Weisman, Ethan Renteria, and Zion Salinas. Friends of Joel Martinez are invited to a memorial service on Sunday, November 23, 2003 at 3:00 p.m. at St. Philip's Presbyterian Church, 4807 San Felipe Road, Houston, with the Revered Lynn T. Johnson officiating, after which the family will receive friends in the fellowship hall. It was Joel's wish that in lieu of flowers, donations in memory of him and his life's work be made to The Center for AIDS, 1407 Hawthorne Street, Houston, TX 77006.