Beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Juan Manuel Martinez, 105, of Waltham, passed away after a short illness on Sunday, August 6, 2023. He was born in early May of 1918 in Varillal, Peru, the youngest child of the late Juan Fernando Martinez and Elenora Rosalia Alvardo.

Growing up in poverty, Manny learned what it meant to be thrifty. His family was large, and oftentimes very sick, and so in many cases, even at the early age of 8, he would be tasked with supporting the family after his fathers' passing. It was here where he learned the value of hard work.

His mother passed away in 1939, and so, having no other reason to stay, he decided to travel to America. As he arrived in Texas, though on what was supposed to be a quick vacation, he had already quickly fallen in love with a wonderful young woman, the former Miss Mary Irene Wayne. Ms. Wayne spoke Spanish, despite her Pilgrim roots, which won over his love. That vacation turned into a residency, and Manny and Mary Irene were married in Houston, Texas, December 6, 1941.

As an immigrant in a foreign country speaking almost no English, Manny worked odd jobs his entire life, only really retiring from them at the age of 91! Whether it was gardening, taxi driving, or opening the doors for people, Manny was sure to put in his all for his work. This dedication allowed him to keep the family financially stable, whilst sending his children through college and having frequent vacations to Arizona, to see his sisters.

Manny and Mary Irene later moved to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, Mary's hometown, to be closer to family. Sturbridge was also the town that the young couple chose to start their family. They welcomed six children, each nurtured with love and support. Juan was always extremely proud of his children, and he showed them an abundance of love, even as they too became grandparents, and senior citizens like him!

Mary Irene passed away on June 1, 1961, after 19 short years of marriage. This was the biggest heartbreak in Juan's life. Mary was his everything, but she was now gone. He no longer had anything to live for. He contemplated ending it all a few times after Mary's passing, but found the Lord, and took to his children (who were only 15 years old) for support. This made him appreciate his kids even more, and he realized nothing was worth ending his own life.

So with this experience and five growing children to handle, Manny (in his free time) took to suicide awareness, using his own story as an example. The ending line of all his speeches were,"There will always be someone who loves you. Don't forget that" It is unclear if he 'saved' any lives at all, but all of his children and grandchildren can all say that they admired the work he did to try and make the world a better place.

In his later years, Manny's biggest joy was seeing his grandchildren grow to be adults, meeting great grandchildren and even meeting some great-great-grandchildren. Family meant everything to Juan, because growing up with a messed up family dynamic, he never understood love, and, when he learned what it meant to love someone, he wanted his children to feel that feeling, and so he tried his best to preserve all the love being held in the Martinez family.

Manny was sadly predeceased by many people whom he loved dearly; his beautiful wife, Mary Irene (Wayne) Martinez (1961); two beloved daughters; Amelia Veronica Martinez (1960) and Darlene Eleanor Martinez (2013); sons-in-laws Denny Guntenhausen (2003) and Billy Donahue (2022), grandson Robert J. Donahue (2013), great-grandchildren Patrick D'Agostino (2011) and Olivia Rose Guntenhausen (2017), as well as seven sisters; Ferdinanda Martinez (1966), Luisia Martinez (1988), Joanna Pracito (2002), Katerina Jiminez (2009), Teresa Placito (2003), Emilia Smith (2016) and Angelina Stanilo (2000). Many other infant brothers and sisters sadly predeceased him, but their names and dates were lost to time and memory.

But in the midst of loss are people that support you! Surviving Manny are many family members and friends, including; one son, Eugene W. (Lynn) Martinez of Tucson, AZ, three daughters, Cheryl A. Guntenhausen and JoAnn Donahue, both of Waltham, MA, and Bernice (Dave) Stanson of Boca Raton, FL. Juan is also survived by 15 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. A sister-in-law, Rosetta (Donald) Hamilton, of Waltham, also survives, along with many nieces and nephews on both the Martinez and Wayne sides.

Juan will certainly be missed by all who knew him. A private funeral and burial will take place on August 12, 2023. A celebration of life ceremony will take place at a later date, to which all family and friends will be invited and informed.

The family would like to thank the many doctors both in Waltham and Sturbridge who have helped them through this difficult time.

If you feel so obligated, in lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the Alzheimer's Association in hopes that your donation will help other families like the Martinez'.

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