Maria Bernardita (Bea) Martinez

Maria Bernardita (Bea) Martinez

May 12, 1932 – August 9, 2026

Maria Bernardita Martinez, affectionately known to so many as “Bea,” “Grandma Bea,” and “Aunt Bea,” peacefully passed into the arms of Our Lord at the age of 94, leaving behind a beautiful legacy of faith, family, generosity, and love.

Bea was born on May 12, 1932, in San Ildefonso, New Mexico, to Jose Patricio Montoya and Maria Ernestina Montoya. Family remained at the center of her life, and her love of God helped guide the way she lived. Her faith was reflected not only in what she believed, but also in the kindness, generosity, compassion, and gentle nature she shared with others.

Bea was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She had a warm and gentle spirit, loved to laugh, and found great happiness in being surrounded by family. Her generosity seemed to know no limits. She gave freely of herself, her time, her home, and whatever she had to offer. Those fortunate enough to know Bea did not simply hear that they were loved; they felt it in the way she cared for them.

Perhaps nowhere was that love more evident than in her lifelong devotion to children. Bea raised five children of her own to adulthood and played an important role in the lives of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. But her motherly care reached far beyond her own family.

For much of her adult life, Bea cared for the children of countless other families and, for many years, operated a sanctioned child day-care center. Over the course of her lifetime, the number of children entrusted to her care reached into the hundreds. Caring for children was more than work to Bea. It was something she genuinely loved.

She welcomed those children into her life and treated them with the same tenderness and concern she gave her own family. She fed them, comforted them, watched over them, helped them learn, and gave them a safe and loving place in which to grow. Many of those children are now in their fifties and sixties and have children and grandchildren of their own. The thought that Bea’s love and influence continue through those families is a remarkable part of the legacy she leaves behind.

Bea also took great pride in her home. In her younger years, she loved working in her yard and keeping her home and property beautiful, clean, and welcoming. She loved flowers and butterflies; a fondness reflected throughout the decorations of her home. She enjoyed the simple beauty around her and especially enjoyed having people come to visit.

Her door and her heart were always open. Visitors were greeted with a big smile and a warm hug, and it was unlikely anyone would leave without first being offered something to eat. Bea was a wonderful cook and homemaker who took genuine pleasure in feeding people. Food was one of the many ways she expressed her love. Her home became a gathering place where generations of family came together, children grew, stories and laughter were shared, traditions were carried forward, and countless memories were made.

Throughout her long life, Bea possessed a quiet strength and resilience. She experienced the joys and hardships that come with more than nine decades of living, yet remained grounded in her faith and devoted to those she loved. Prayer was very big part of her life, and her relationship with God helped sustain her through changing times, difficult moments, and the losses she experienced along the way.

But Bea’s life was also filled with laughter. Her gentle nature did not keep her from enjoying a good laugh, sharing happy moments, and finding joy in the company of the people she loved. Family was where her heart was happiest. Whether around the kitchen table, during a visit, at a family gathering, or simply sharing an ordinary day together, those moments mattered to her.

Bea was preceded in death by her husband, Joe Sambran; her parents, Jose Patricio and Maria Ernestina Montoya; her brothers Joseph and Patricio; and her sister Sue.

She is survived by her sisters Siria (Joe) and Maida (James); her brothers Chris (Celia), and Joe Manny; her daughters Roberta, Loretta (Albert), and Barbara (Richard); and her sons Michael (Mary Ann) and John. She also leaves behind generations of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren, along with extended family, friends, and the many people whose lives were touched by her kindness and care.

Bea’s life cannot be measured simply by the 94 years she lived, but by the extraordinary number of lives she touched during those years. Her legacy lives in her children and their families, in the generations of children she helped nurture, in the home she created, in the meals she lovingly prepared, in the laughter she shared, in the hugs she freely gave, and in the faith and love she demonstrated throughout her life.

Perhaps the lessons of Bea’s life were found in the simple things she practiced every day: have faith, love your family, care for children, welcome people into your home, feed them when they are hungry, laugh together, help when you can, and give love generously.

For those who knew and loved her, flowers, butterflies, a welcoming kitchen, the laughter of children, a warm hug, or a meal shared with family may forever bring thoughts of Bea.

She spent a lifetime caring for others and creating a place where people knew they were welcome and loved. That love will continue through the generations of her family and through the many lives she touched.

Her family will miss her gentle presence, her smile, her laughter, her prayers, her welcoming home, and the love that seemed to surround her wherever she was. They take comfort in knowing that the faith which sustained Bea throughout her life now carries her home.

Her family would also like to express their sincere appreciation for the outpouring of love and support during this very difficult time. There were so many people that stepped forward both inside and outside our family and are so very grateful for your kindness.

A rosary will be held Tuesday August 25, 2026, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, located at 100 S. Guadalupe Street Santa Fe NM, 87501 at 10am, Mass will follow at 11am. Inurnment will take place on Monday August 31st, at The Santa Fe National Cemetery located at 501 N Guadalupe St, Santa Fe NM, 87501 at 11:15am.