Elizabeth Lou Martinez-Ford

Born in Orange, Texas, on September 16, 1959, at Orange Memorial Hospital she was the daughter of Carol Jean and Dewey Jean Martinez of Orange, Texas. She was a paralegal for many years throughout the Golden Triangle. Her namesake was her maternal great-grandmother Loula “Nin” Esther Johnson.

She loved her family, her country, her animals, and her award-winning gardening, and had many genuine friends.

Her favorite childhood memories were of Greenway Park pageants with her sisters, playing tennis and anything having to do with music and acting. Her starring role as Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun earned her much notoriety in the theatre world in her hometown. As part of the Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School thespian group, she won several awards in one-act plays and other theatrical productions. She had the most beautiful singing voice and learned to play the piano at a very young age. She was very knowledgeable in a wide range of music styles.

Beth dedicated four years serving her country in the U.S. Army. She was stationed in Seoul Korea where she was a Military Police. She may have been small, but she was known for her speed in loading artillery. She earned an honorable discharge at the end of her service.

She was a very spiritual person her whole life, always relying on her Christian faith at each milestone of life. She always offered a compassionate, listening ear to anyone who needed it. Her laugh was unbridled and entirely contagious. She was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved husband Michael Steven Ford.

Her most treasured role later in her life was as “Granny” to her three grandchildren. Her two children, Brian and Kristin, were her pride and joy.

She was preceded in death by her parents Carol and Dewey Martinez and her husband Michael Steven Ford.

She is survived by her children Brian Christopher Hall of League City, Texas, her daughter Kristin Elizabeth Hall and future son-in-law David Ryan of Denver, Colorado; her grandchildren, Addilyn Elizabeth Hall, Dylan Christopher Hall and Bayleigh Jean Hall. Other survivors include, sisters Deborah Avant and Pamela Jaus, of Arlington, Texas, Susan Martinez, of Carleton, Michigan, Christopher Martinez and Mark Martinez, of Orange, Texas, and Neal Martinez, of Houston, Texas.