Alphonse Martinez

Alphonse Martinez was born September 17, 1940 in Zwolle, Louisiana, the son of Alphonse and Irene (Bebee). He passed from this life December 8, 2020 in Oklahoma City at the age of 80 years. Alphonse was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. He loved his country. He began his 35 year military career on January 10, 1955 at the age of 14 with the Louisiana Army Infantry National Guard. At age 17 and rank of SSgt, he taught combat tactics for the U.S. Army. He was also a boxer for the Army and held a welterweight title for a brief period. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1959 - 1963 as a Telecommunications Technician. He went on a special assignment with Air Force Security Service to the Far East. He worked with Special Security Headquarters in the Pentagon. Alphonse served in the U.S. Army from 1963 - 1967, working with Army Signal Corp in both maintenance and operations. While stationed in France, he was a member of an Army football team. He served in the Berlin Brigade during the Vietnam war and transported prisoners across country. He also served in 205th EIS from 1970 – 1992; 17 years as Work center Supervisor of Telecommunications section performing in-house depot level maintenance overhaul of Air Force communications equipment and in-teaching Air Force technicians to perform depot level maintenance of their communications equipment. He served the last five years as the Unit Safety Technician. Alphonse retired as a Master Sergeant after 35 years of service. Following retirement he worked for the FAA and in Civil Service at Tinker Air Force Base. He also worked as a Guard and Mail Room Supervisor at Mabel Bassett Correctional Facility. Alphonse had lived in Oklahoma since 1968. He enjoyed traveling, square dancing, going to his great-grandchildren’s sporting events and gardening. He was avid in fitness and was a Senior Olympian gold medalist. Alphonse loved Oklahoma football, rooting for the Sooners and also for the OSU Cowboys, except during Bedlam. He was a big fan of the Oklahoma Thunder. He was preceded in death by his parents, Alphonse Martinez and Irene Warren; siblings, Janice Hamrick, Betty Riggs and Becky Crofut. Alphonse leaves to cherish his memory his wife Joann of the home; children, Janice Murphy and husband Jim of Midwest City and Dee Maly and husband Matt of Choctaw; stepson, Darryl Lewis and wife Cara; grandchildren, Matt Murphy, Lindsay Hopkins and husband Chase, James Murphy all of Oklahoma City and Rebecca Murphy of Midwest City, Kristy Maly and finace, Anthony Herrera of Moore; great-grandchildren, Hagen Hopkins, Holden Hopkins, and Jack Murphy; the mother of his children, Dolores Martinez of Oklahoma City; his siblings, Helen Martin of Tulsa, Sue Jobe of Lewisville, Texas and Tom Martinez of Choteau; and a host of other relatives and friends. Visitation will be held Sunday, December 20, 2020 from 1pm to 4pm. Funeral services will be held Monday, December 21, 2020 at 10am at the Chapel of Bill Eisenhour Funeral Home.

Donations in Alphonse's memory can be made to the Metro Singles Square Dance Club please contact Pat Anderson at 405-640-1976 or Deb Ladd at 405-245-8254 for more details.

Services will be live-streamed on the Bill Eisenhour Funeral Home Oklahoma City page.