Maria Hernandez Martinez

Maria de Jesus Hernandez Martinez, 92, died November 7, 2025 at home surrounded by her loving family.

She was born January 9, 1933 in Ixtlan del Rio, Nayarit, Mexico, the fifth of nine children born to Maria de Jesus Gomez and Librado Hernandez Gonzalez.

Maria’s early childhood was filled with joy and security in Rosario, Sinaloa, Mexico. She attended daily Mass with her beautiful mother, who inspired Maria’s devotion to God and love of helping others. Her other childhood memories included going to the movies with her siblings every Sunday, family dinners, attending dances and parties, and hanging out at taco stands. Maria got along with everyone and valued family above all.

Maria began working at her family's store when she was 12 years old, and she developed her business sense from her father. She adored sales and running a business, lifelong skills of hers.

Maria's beloved mother passed away when she was 16 years old. Maria sacrificed going away to school to become a pharmacist in order to care for her three younger siblings, at her mother's request. In the aftermath of this tragedy, Maria’s compassionate and loving father was attentive to his family and a source of great stability. In addition, during these years with great drive and business acumen, she expanded the family store to three stores, built apartments and another home for her father and step-mother for their retirement income.

Maria met the love of her life in early 1960, when Florentino “Tino” Martinez came to Tepic from Wilmington, CA on his way to visit family. Maria had met Tino’s family months earlier when visiting California to study English. Their first day together, Tino and Maria went to Mass and when Tino took out his Rosary before Mass, she fell in love! But she had to make sure the fit was good by going out dancing. When Tino asked her to go steady, she agreed. The two dated for four days before he returned to California and wrote to Maria's father to ask for her hand in marriage. Her father refused. However, Maria wrote to Tino separately and told him to come back in July—she would convince her father and also plan the wedding.

The night before they were to be married, Tino had not shown up. Maria went to bed devastated. At midnight, she was woken up by the sound of serenatas playing outside her bedroom window, where Tino awaited in the rain. They came inside, and the two danced the night away.

On July 6, 1960, Tino and Maria Martinez were married at Sanctuario de Guadalupe in Tepic, with a lovely reception at her family home. Two weeks later, they had a second reception in California at the San Jose Hall with Tino’s family and friends that included roughly 300 guests. Maria and Tino lived in Wilmington, California for 50 years before moving to Long Beach.

Tino and Maria raised five children: Monica, Steven, Lisa, Christina, and Veronica. Maria had many fond memories with her children, including Mass every Sunday, trips to Mexico to visit with family, visits to Disneyland and Magic Mountain, and many trips to the beach and parks. Maria was so tough and strong, raising five children while Tino was away for long stretches of time working the ships in the Merchant Marines.

Maria was a room mom, volunteer and lunch lady at Holy Family School and helped out the Carmelite Sisters with errands and rides to doctors and dentists for years. She also was a Eucharistic Minister and Religious Education teacher at Holy Family Church.

Her parenting advice was to keep God first in your life, love family and guide your children to become independent hard-working adults, and to always do your best. Maria was very proud of her children, and raising them was her most cherished personal achievement.

Maria truly enjoyed being a Grandma to her 21 grandchildren and a Bisabuela/Mamacita to her 15 (plus two on the way!) great-grandchildren and in turn was adored by them all.

Her husband Tino passed away shortly after they celebrated 60 years of marriage. Maria lived for another five years with her cherished family. Her family is comforted knowing that Maria’s beloved Tino came for her in the early morning hours of November 7th, to take her out for “just one more spin on the dance floor.” While Maria is dearly missed, her loved ones know she is now with her greatest love in heaven and reunited with her parents and siblings.

Maria is preceded in death by her husband Tino, her sisters, Esther, Victoria, Celia, infant Rafaela, Clemen, Rafaela and her brothers, Ramon and Gilberto. She is survived by her children Monica (James), Steve (Cindy), Lisa (Jesús), Christina (Eric), and Veronica (Sherif). Also surviving her are her 21 grandchildren: Eileen (David), Jimmy (Valeria), Andrew, Nicholas (Lila), Anthony, Amanda, Maureen (Chad), Jessica (Aaron), Katelyn (Christian), John (Chloe), Marissa (Christian Michael), Jacob, Lucas (Paolina), Alexander (Ellie), Joseph (Samantha), Adam, Leila, Sherif, Samir, Ramsis and Nadeen, as well as 15 great-grandchildren; Dexter, Nicholas, Isabella, Evelyn, Fiona, Roya, Tobin, Aubrey, Tino, Blue, Alma, Julius, Sebastian, Cameron, and Benicio. Also surviving her are many nieces and nephews.

Maria lived life with a loving heart, clever sense of humor, and a genuine compassion for others. She was a lifelong dancer, and famously ready to cook a delicious meal any day of the week. She had many friends throughout her life whose companionship she valued second only to family. Maria’s love of God and the way she built a family has forever been a model for her kids, grandkids and great-grandkids, a legacy that will guide her family for generations to come.

Services will be held at St. Cornelius Church in Long Beach on December 6, 2025. Rosary at 9am followed by a Funeral Mass at 9:30.

If in lieu of flowers you’d like to make a donation, her favorite charities were the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles (www.carmelitesistersocd.com) or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org).