Barbara Martinez

Barbara Marian Martinez (Reinen) was born November 16, 1954 and passed on October 28, 2025. She was currently residing in Santa Fe, New Mexico with her husband Michael who was her full-time caretaker after an Alzheimer's diagnosis in 2020. She was born in Danbury, Connecticut and spent most of her childhood in Brookfield, graduating from Brookfield High School in 1973. She met her husband Michael Martinez while working together at the Candlewood Inn and they married in 1974. She got her Bachelor's of Business Administration from Western Connecticut State University in 1982. Barbara lived in many states throughout her life, including Connecticut, Colorado, and New Mexico, but spent a large portion of her life in Florida. She had originally wanted to pursue nursing, but found another avenue to work in healthcare by working in finance for BayCare Health System in Clearwater, Florida. Barbara's greatest passion was her family; her three daughters, Amanda (43), Kaitlin (38), and Taylor (33), were always at the forefront of her mind. She always impressed upon them the importance of their own success and passions. Barbara traveled as frequently as she could, loving to visit places like San Francisco and Colorado; she made a lifelong goal of a trip to Paris in 2014. She spent her last years in the loving, dedicated care of Michael and his sister Rosie, and with the constant prayers and compassion of those who loved her. She passed in peace and with family at her side. She is survived by her husband Michael who still resides in Santa Fe, along with her daughter Amanda (Jonathan) Hensley in Ireland with her grandchildren Hayden and Amelia, daughter Kaitlin (Kevin) Thomas in Florida, and daughter Taylor Martinez in Colorado. She also leaves behind two sisters, Marybeth (Michael) Robb and Joanne (Jim) Walker. She is preceded by her parents Joseph and Bernice, and her beloved brother Jeff. There is a large family of nieces, nephews, cousins, grandnieces and grandnephews, and more who she loved dearly and wished them all health and happiness. Barbara's greatest belief was that family was more important than anything; she was often heard saying “Blood is thicker than water” as a reminder that we should cherish our family and it is with that spirit that we hope her passing reminds us all to care for one another.

 A small service will be held at Rivera Funeral Home on Thursday, November 6 at 1 pm and a celebration of life for family and friends will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the John Hopkins Alzheimer's Disease Research Center.