Virginia Olivia Martinez, affectionately known as Gina, passed away peacefully at her home in Española, New Mexico, on October 17, 2026. She was born on September 27, 1945, in Alire, New Mexico, and lived a life marked by warmth, humor, resilience, and deep affection for the people and places she held close.

Gina was a very happy person with an amazing sense of humor. She had a gift for knowing just what to say to make others laugh, and her loving and caring nature left a lasting impression on the many people who knew her. Though she was also a private person, she was widely known and dearly loved, remembered for her spirited personality and the ease with which she brought lightness to those around her.

Over the years, Gina made her home in Alire, Tierra Amarilla, Cebolla, and Albuquerque. In her younger days, she loved being outdoors and embraced life with a sense of adventure that became part of her legend among those who knew her best. Cherished funny memories from those years include racing the sheriff in Tierra Amarilla on his motorcycle in her car and getting away with it, as well as humorously blowing bottle rockets toward the jail. These stories, told with laughter and affection, reflect the bold and lively spirit that made Gina unforgettable.

She worked for many years as a bartender at various establishments in Albuquerque and Northern New Mexico, where her humor, warmth, and easy way with people surely made her a memorable presence. Later, she worked for a time at Walgreens before retiring. In retirement, Gina found joy in the comforts of home and in the simple, faithful rhythms of daily life. She tended carefully to her yard and had a true talent for gardening, delighting in planting flowers and vegetables. Among her favorite blooms were marigolds, morning glories, and peonies, each adding color and beauty to the home she was proud to have made her own.

Music also brought her joy. She enjoyed country music and spiritual songs sung by Mac Owen, and her spiritual relationship with God was one of the accomplishments she held most deeply in her heart. She was especially proud of buying her first home, a meaningful milestone that reflected her determination and independence. Above all, she was proud of her son, a source of enduring love and support in her life.

Among the memories treasured by her family is a story her son loved to recall. Gina once owned a big brindle pit bull who liked to sit at the kitchen table and look out the window toward the front yard. After the mailman began teasing the dog through the window for several days, Gina would come home to find the blinds in disarray. Then one day, as if the dog knew exactly when the mailman would pass by, he asked to go outside, hopped the fence, and chased the mailman onto the Cadillac in the driveway. No harm was done; the dog simply seemed determined to show who was boss. It is the kind of memory that captures the laughter that lived in Gina’s home and the stories that will continue to be retold with smiles.

She also dearly loved her two dogs, Peanut and Casper, whose companionship brought her comfort and happiness.

Gina was preceded in death by her son John Lovato; husband, Walter Kegel; father of her child, Robert Lovato Sr.; her parents Juan De La Cruz and Fernanda Martinez; her sister, Julie; her brothers Eugene, Hernando, Larry, Sammy, Valdemar, Manny, Felix, Moises, and Mario, and her cousin, Victor Martinez.

She is survived by her son, Robert Lovato Jr.; her brothers, Harry Martinez and Mario Martinez; her sisters-in-law Loyda, Ella, and Cynthia, with whom she shared years of friendship, mutual support, and enduring closeness. Also left to cherish her memory is her son's best friend who became like a brother to him Rick Martinez, whom Gina came to love and call family as well. Gina is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, and cherished friends. Each of them carries forward the remembrance of her laughter, her kindness, her strong spirit, and the many stories that made her so uniquely herself.

Family and friends are invited to honor Gina’s life at Rivera Family Funeral Home in Espanola, a Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday November 7, 2026, beginning at 12:30pm. A meal and gathering will follow afterwards at La Cocina New Mexican Restaurant, located at 415 Santa Clara Bridge Road, Espanola NM, 87532. All are welcome to attend. 

Gina Martinez will be remembered as a woman of humor, heart, independence, and faith—a woman who could be mischievous and tender in equal measure, who loved deeply, laughed easily, and found beauty in flowers, music, home, and the people around her. May her memory bring comfort to all who knew and loved her.

The family of Mrs. Martinez have entrusted her care to the professionals of Rivera Family Funeral Home in Espanola. From our entire team, our heartfelt condolences to all.