Esperanza "Hope" Martinez

Esperanza Gonzales Martinez “Hope” a resident of Tomball, Texas, passed away on Saturday, February 6, 2021, in Houston, Texas.  She was 77 years old.

Hope was born in Abilene, Texas to Rosendo and Eulalia Gonzales on August 11, 1943. She was the 11th of 13 children. She is preceded in death by her parents and her siblings – Manuela Gaona, Eulalia Navarrete, Rosendo Gonzales, Gonzalo Gonzales, Armando Gonzales and Soledad Gonzales. Hope is survived by her husband Antonio Martinez “Tony” of 59 years and her children, son Javier Martinez and wife Nancy, daughter Lydia Kelly and husband Tommy, son Crestino Martinez and wife Lori, son Antonio Martinez II and wife Ingrid, daughter Patricia Ruiz and husband Bryan, son Michael Martinez and honorary daughter Rachel Miller and husband Adam. Grandchildren, Roland Flores and wife Taylor and their children Cash and Macy, Valerie Zermeno and husband Daniel, Crestino Kelly, Abraham Martinez, Ethan Ruiz and Sophia Ruiz; and two brothers Crestino Gonzales and Valentin Gonzales.

Tony and Hope were married in Abilene on August 23, 1961. She had an 8th grade education and was a licensed beautician.  She and Tony lived in Abilene, Houston, Greenville, SC, and Tomball, TX. Her hobbies were bowling, quilting, line dancing, travel, antiquing, movies, history, gardening and shopping! She was an avid quilter and taught quilting at the Houston International Festival for years as a member of the Houston Quilters Guild. She and Tony are members of St. Matthews the Evangelist Catholic Church in Houston.  She worked as a volunteer for the annual festivals, cooked for the Thanksgiving meal for the homeless, made care packages for the needy, helped with the Christmas gift program and cooked/served for the bereavement committee.  She was also a volunteer for several of her children’s school activities and sports teams.  Hope and Tony traveled throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, Europe and South America. She will be surely missed but never forgotten!

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.