Jason Donald Martinez

In the loving arms of his beloved wife and his three sons, Jason Donald Martinez, beloved husband, father, son, brother, grandson, uncle, nephew, cousin, friend & colleague, was called home by our Heavenly Father on Sunday, December 31, 2023, at the age of 44. Our Lord granted Jason’s heartfelt wish to enter eternal peace at home surrounded by his wife & sons after a valiant fight with cancer.

Born in San Antonio, Texas on February 5, 1979, to his parents, Joseph Donald Martinez and Joy Griffin Martinez, his childhood was spent alongside his parents & sisters at the family-owned racetrack, Alamo Dragway & M-Co Auto supply store. He spent many summers on family vacations traveling to visit relatives or vacationing in places such as California, Lake Tahoe, Orlando, Hawaii, etc. During those vacations Jason spent time at Cincinnati Reds & Atlanta Braves baseball games with family friend, Rick Mahler & family. Every Presidents’ Day was spent with family & friends skiing in Ruidoso, New Mexico. Jason also spent many hunting seasons with family & friends at Arrowhead & Paesano’s Ranch. Jason had a love for music & knew every word of every song no matter what the genera was. He always credited that to his parents’ love for listening to different kinds of music every chance they got. He also loved playing the alto saxophone in the jazz band. Jason also was an avid baseball player holding the position of catcher as well as an avid golfer. In 1997 he graduated from Robert E. Lee High School.

Jason was truly passionate about his career in the medical field and providing care for others. He continued his education at St. Philip’s College where he studied to become a Medical Assistant, then onto a Surgical Technologist & then on to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. He finally found his passion in the operating room & went on to complete his education at Madisonville Community College, becoming a Surgical First Assistant. He worked tirelessly at several hospitals in San Antonio, New Braunfels and Seguin, often providing his surgical first assisting services & expertise without receiving reimbursement for his time & service. Jason also worked as a Hospice nurse with Vitas and occasionally worked PRN for other various hospice agencies. He prided himself on providing care and comfort to those in need. Always eager to learn and advance in the health field, especially the operating room, Jason continued his training to become an expert in robotic surgeries. Jason loved the operating room & all it entailed. He often said he missed his call to become a surgeon.

Jason was a loving hard-working husband & father. Filled with a competitive spirit & with great strength & determination that was fueled by a great Faith as he navigated life but especially as he navigated his battle with cancer. He had an infectious smile to go with his naturally rosy, red cheeks & envious natural long eyelashes. He was selfless and always the first to lend a hand or get everyone motivated to complete the task at hand. Jason lived to provide everything he could for his family & however he could so when not in the operating room, you would find him working alongside his father & sons with the families fiberglass pool business, M-CO Pools in Texas.

Jason treasured his family, friends and colleagues. He shared his passion for life with them, but also his medical knowledge, assisting many with advice on caring for themselves or on caring for their loved ones. Jason often provided gentle care himself without ever being asked. He was a committed team member by fully supporting his colleagues and coworkers in providing the best possible health care services to each of the patients he cared for.

In August 1999 without realizing it at the time, Jason met the love of his life, Victoria. On August 24, 2001, Jason & Victoria married, and he became the proud father of his three sons, Adrian Michael, Christopher Donald & Benajmin Nicholas Martinez.

Jason lived the American dream and cherished his time filled with his greatest loves, his family especially his wife & sons. Jason was a larger-than-life sports fanatic and loved the outdoors. His favorite teams were the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Longhorns, San Antonio Spurs & Houston Astros. He loved hunting at the family 4J ranch. He loved fishing at the coast on his boat with his sons and extended family. And he loved being on the golf course with his sons, father & friends. He deeply cherished that time & all the special memories that were made together.

Jason & Victoria were not only, united in their love of God and in their love for each other, but also united in their love of supporting their 3 sons in their Faith, school and extra circular activities. Throughout his sons’ lives, Jason was frequently involved in their church, school activities, celebrations, fundraisers, etc. as well as all his sons’ numerous sports activities such as, baseball, football, basketball, track, homecoming events, fundraising events, and the list is endless. Jason impacted the lives of many youths by spending numerous years as a volunteer. He coached youth football with the Pop Warner San Antonio Wolverines and coached Little League baseball with the Greater Helotes Little League. As his sons transitioned from youth sports into middle school & eventually high school sports, Jason continued sharing his love, time, support, and encouragement at William Howard Taft High School, serving as a volunteer & eventually the athletic booster club president for 3 years. Jason passionately supported his sons at every one of their high school football & baseball games. His booming shouts of encouragement and/or displeasure, such as “Unacceptable!!!” or “Take their souls” or “Come on Coach, what are you doing?” were often heard echoing through the stands.

Additionally, Jason served the elderly of San Antonio as a volunteer with the Jefferson Community Outreach, where he assisted his grandmother, Doris and mother, Joy, in delivering meals and groceries, to the homebound community as well as participating in many fundraisers and special events.

Most important to Jason was his faith-filled relationship with Jesus Christ and he served as an inspiration for his family especially his 3 sons. Jason, our love, you have fought the good fight, you have finished the race, and you have kept an incredible Faith. Our Lord will wipe away every tear from our eyes as we rejoice that death is no more and you live in God’s eternal embrace and forever in our hearts. Until we meet again, you are with us always.

Jason is preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Chief Master Sargent, George Griffin, paternal grandparents, Dee & Mamie Martinez and uncles, Dee Martinez II & Paul Jesse Martinez and honorary lifetime family member & friend, Purvis Fraiser.

Jason’s life was a testament to his commitment to his family, his passion for his career & his dedication to serving others. Jason legacy continues through the love of his life-wife, Victoria Martinez & his 3 devoted sons, Adrian, Christopher & Benjamin Martinez.

Jason is survived by his father, Joseph Donald Martinez & his mother Joy Griffin Martinez, his sister Jackie Barrera (husband & childhood best friend since middle school, Adrian Barrera), sister, Janeice Martinez-Sims & honorary sister, Brenna De Leon. Additional survivors include, his loving grandmother Edna Doris Griffin, his Uncle John Griffin (Aunt Angie) his Uncle Jim Griffin (Aunt Deborah), his Uncle Johnny Martinez (Aunt Mindy), Uncle Arnold Martinez (Aunt Debbie) & Uncle Marvin Martinez. Jason also leaves behind his nieces, Makayla Barrera, Madysen Barrera, Baleigh Sims & Graciella Arrocha and nephews Luke Barrera & David Arrocha as well as his in laws Carlos & Virgina Martinez, sister in laws, Virginia Arrocha (Andy) & Maria Martinez, brother-in-law, Carlos Martinez III, numerous cousins, great cousins, great aunts & great uncles.

Jason will be greatly missed by his wife & sons as well as by so many family friends & colleagues. On behalf of his wife & 3 sons, they would like to give a special thanks to those that were an instrumental part of his cancer journey. Special thanks to The Start Center for Cancer Care, Dr. Ronald Drengler & staff & Dr. Joseph Karam. Also special thanks to Trinity Hospice. The family also wishes to extend a special & heartfelt Thank you to each one of their family friends that have walked beside them for the past 20 months. Special thanks especially to family best friends Billy & Michelle Burton & family.

Jason, you will forever live in our hearts. Goodbyes are not forever, Goodbyes are not the end, they simply mean will miss you, until we meet again.

Please click here to view the service for Jason Donald Martinez.