Maria Rosario Flores Martinez

FLORES MARTINEZ, Maria Rosario 83, of Pinellas Park, FL died November 5, 2018. Maria was born in Yauco, Puerto Rico. She moved to Pinellas Park in 1979 from Lorain, Ohio. She was a member of Transfiguration Catholic Church for 36 years. She is survived by her children, Lillian Flores, William Flores,Johnny Flores, Margarita Martinez and Maria Sierra Ramos; grandchildren, Randa Allison, Kara Brenner, Ian Gonzalez, Joshua Martinez, Edwin Pagan Jr., Avonlea Ramos, William Flores Jr. and Osvaldo Perez Jr. and great grandchildren, Analyce Pagan, Jovani Martinez, Isaiah Gonzalez, Layah Gonzalez, Nora Pagan and Yani Pagan.

The world lost a wonderful woman tonight. You needed a place to stay, she took you in. You needed money, she opened her wallet. You needed food, she cooked for you. She always gave to her friends, family, and community. Her house was a revolving door and she loved that. She was the matriarch of our family. She was battling cancer for months and she's finally at peace. They called her Sari (rosary) and she was the most religious person I knew. What better way to go then on a Sunday. She will be missed. Our family is hurting right now but I find comfort knowing she's not battling this disease anymore. She's up there probably cussing out my grandpa (🤣😂).

Love you, grandma... things won't be the same 😢

This is pretty hard for me to write. For those of you that are close to me, you know that my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. Last night she passed away holding her rosary. She left behind 5 children, 7 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.

This woman…was AWESOME! I’ve never met anyone with a bigger heart. She provided food and shelter to anyone who needed it. Every child and grandchild (and maybe some of their friends/neighbors/and cousins) has been on the receiving end of the chonkla and walked away covered in red footprints. She was so funny. She told jokes all the time (some were a little raunchy and required extra prayers). We knew not to call her around 7 because she was watching her novelas (which required prayers before AND after). Her bible even had dividers to make sure she covered all of her bases when praying for someone.

We all knew she was sick, and pretty much everyone made the pilgrimage to pay their respects to someone who so deeply touched their lives. My only wish is that I lived down in FL for the past few months to spend as much time with her as I could, but I did manage to see her 4 times this summer. My last memory of her is giving her big sloppy kisses while she giggled. We will not mourn her. We will celebrate her life and the love she had for everyone around her.

No one will say Maria Flores Martinez without a smile on their face and love in their heart. I love you grandma, and I’m glad you’re not suffering anymore.

To anyone who had the privilege of knowing her, leave a comment with something about her that made you smile!

Visitations will be held 7pm - 9pm, Thursday, November 9th and Friday, November 10th from 3pm - 5pm and 7pm - 9pm at Garden Sanctuary Funeral Home.

Mass will be celebrated 11am, Saturday, November 11th at Transfiguration Catholic Church with committal prayers and interment to follow at Calvary Catholic Cemetery.

Arrangements were made under the direction of Garden Sanctuary Funeral Home, 7950 131st Street, Seminole, FL 33776 / 727-391-0121.