Jesse Martinez

Jesse Martinez

July 20, 1941 - May 8, 2014

Jesse Martinez died on May 8, 2014 in San Francisco.  He was 72.  His death followed a years-long battle with cancer.  He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Janet, daughters Serena and Noelle of San Francisco, sister Esther Rodriguez of Valparaiso, Indiana, and aunt Helen Espinosa of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

A generous, reflective and witty man, Jesse was born July 20, 1941 in East Chicago, Indiana, to Jacinto Martinez and Candelaria Flores.  Jesse was educated at University of the Americas (Mexico City), Golden Gate University, and Harvard University.  He devoted his professional life primarily to public service, at the U.S. State Department; San Diego State University; San Francisco City Hall under Mayors Joseph Alioto, George Moscone, Dianne Feinstein and Gavin Newsom; the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare Office of Civil Rights; the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and the HUD-Harvard Community Builders for Economic Development.  In retirement, he continued to serve his community with the San Francisco Civil Grand Jury, in addition to volunteer work for the San Francisco Police Department, the United Nations International Research Center and North Beach Community Court.  He also dedicated much of his time to reading, physical fitness (he was an avid marathoner in his younger years and a long-time boxer), following the 49ers, and of course, his family, who will miss him dearly.

Jesse willed his body to the University of California, San Francisco Medical School. In lieu of flowers, the family invites contributions to the University of California, San Francisco, Symptom Management Service, under whose care Jesse spent his final years (http://makeagift.ucsf.edu/sms), or a charity of the donor's choice. A memorial celebration of his life will be arranged later in the fall.