Aug. 4, 1929-Sept. 3, 2014
Gib Martinez passed away in Brownwood, Texas, on Wednesday, Sept. 3. He was the oldest of five children born to Hazel and Jasper Martinez in Cortez.
Gib was preceded in death by his wife Vera and sister Janice Birdsong. Gib is survived by daughter Lynn Winters; son-in-law Charlie, of Kirkland, Wash., and granddaughter Meredith Winters, of San Diego, sisters Judy Shaw and her husband Bill of Early, Texas; LaVonne Hemenway, of Grants Pass, Ore.; and Barbara Wingard and her husband Quentin of Oracle, Ariz. Also surviving are his many nieces and nephew.
Gib was a graduate of UNM and was employed by El Paso Natural Gas for 38 years in Farmington, N.M. He served in the army during WW II. Gib’s family was some of the first settlers in the Pagosa Springs area, where he was raised. His great love of the southwest and its history became his passion after retirement. He made miniature replicas of many of the southwest monuments, some of which are in museums. He also loved to backpack in Colorado and organized an annual trip with lifelong friends for over 25 years. Gib will be interred in Durango, with a celebration of life at a later date.
