Angelina Jacques Martinez 52 Weeks/52 Ancestors

Angelina Jaquez Martinez

Aunt Angie was born on November 20, 1929 in Denver, Colorado. She was the last child of Celestino and Tonita Jaques. By the 1930 census, they are living in Denver and their household is

Celestino, age 43

Tonita, age 40

Eppie, age 19

Della, age 18

Ernest, age 16

Fred, age 15

Frank, age 14

Jane, age 13

Rosa (Aunt Dorothy), age 10

Celestino (Tim) age 2

Angie, 4 months old.

Celestino was working as a stock raiser and ranch owner and Uncle Eppie was a laborer.

Angie and Tim

Here she is with Tim standing next to the chair she is sitting in.

 

Dorothy, Tim and Angie

By 1940, their household had changed drastically.

They were living in Stockton, California. Now their household was

Celestino, age 53

Tonita, age 50

Timothy, age 12

Angie, age 10

Maryann Viola, age 5

Celestino was working as a laborer for Street Improvement but I know he was in and out of the household by this time.

So, we spent a lot of time with Aunt Angie. We grew up with her and her family.

She was two years younger than Tim and he considered her a pain in the ass. That is what he would say about her and Viola both. That makes me laugh. Obviously, Daddy was very much a stern older brother who wasn’t about to let his sister or niece get into trouble. Aunt Angie thought dad was a pain in the ass, too. She said he was mean and bossy to her all her life. I took great pleasure in their relationship. Aunt Angie had a reputation for talking very fast, saying anything that popped into her head and she could easily ask you a question then answer it herself. I, too, suffer from this same condition. I can’t tell you how many times Daddy would say, “You are just like your Aunt Angie.” Hahaha, I have to say he wasn’t wrong about that.

She went to school in Stockton and by September of 1949 she was engaged to, then married to, Thomas H. Martinez.

Uncle Tom was working at Ames Aeronautical laboratory at Moffett Field. They lived at 1652 Samedra in Sunnyvale, CA.

 

Their children are

Thomas Martinez, Jr.

Dennis Martinez

Gail Ann Martinez

Doreen Martinez

Dean Martinez

Christopher Martinez

(Truthfully, Aunt Angie called Christopher by Kit and I can’t call him anything other than that!)

Aunt Angie was a very outgoing person who loved sports (I think with that many sons, how could you not?)

Her boys played rugby and she went to their matches all the time.

Aunt Angie loved children. She was so outgoing, knew everyone and visited people all the time. She kept in touch with all of her siblings. Our families went camping together, sharing trips and adventures.

This is a video of our families camping together, taken from one of my dad’s home movies. (Don’t mind all of the extra scenery, my dad really loved it)

Aunt Angie had a large family and 13 grandchildren. She was very devoted to her family and spent a tremendous amount of time with them.

When my Uncle Ray (he was married to my mother’s sister, Jeanie) passed away in May of 1971, Jackie and I went to stay with Aunt Angie while my mother was helping her sister. I was 6 years old and Aunt Angie would go see Grandma Tonita in her rest home every day. It scared the hell out of me because all of the old people in the rest home would want to grab my arm or hand. Grandma had her leg amputated and that scared me, too. Plus, I was away from my mother. I was kind of a baby!

My cousin Dennis passed away in 1988 and Angie was very devoted to visiting his grave site.

There was a big anniversary party for Aunt Angie and Uncle Tom. There was a huge dinner and a Mariachi Band that played. Aunt Angie loved a good Mariachi Band.

We stayed in touch with Aunt Angie after my dad passed away. She would come to my house and bring presents for my kids. She would stop at other cousins’ houses, too, just to visit.

Since I named my son William Jacques and I called him Jacques, Aunt Angie always made a point of calling him (spelled phonetically) Hawques, as that it how our last name is pronounced in New Mexico.

We are very fortunate to have so many of these pictures of Aunt Angie because Tommy shared them with me. At the time he gave them to me, I almost felt guilty because there were so many and I didn’t know what I would do with them, but now I am so pleased to be able to share these pictures with everyone. I loved Aunt Angie for all of her craziness, probably because I am just like her.

Angelina Jacques Martinez passed away on December 30, 2004, shortly after Tim, Dorothy and Ernest. It was like she didn’t wish to be alone without her siblings and left to join them. They must have had a hell of a party when she arrived.