Lilia Villate Villate Martinez

Lilia Villate Martinez peacefully went home to be with Jesus Christ, her Lord and Savior, on the evening of Thursday, August 4, 2011, at her home in Rosenberg, Texas after a long illness. She and her family moved to Odessa in 1964, after emigrating from Cuba, which had recently been overtaken by communism. They left everything behind, except for the clothes they wore and a few personal belongings. Lilia was born in Havana, Cuba, on April 11, 1923, the 7th of eight children of Evelio and Gertrudis Villate. She married Dr. Radames Remigio Martinez on July 24, 1942. She was educated in Havana and acquired her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Havana. Her husband was an orthopedic surgeon and practiced in Cuba where they lived until 1961. After arriving in the United States, her husband practiced briefly at the V.A. hospitals in Miami, Fla., and in Tucson, Ariz. He practiced in Odessa where they lived until 1992 and then retired to Miami. Her husband and 7 siblings preceded her in death. She is survived by their seven children Lilia, Lupe, Radames Jr., Roberto, Raymond, Reynaldo and Linda; by their seventeen grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and by one great-great-grand-child. Her husband of 57 years had known her as a faithful, loving and devoted wife. Her children knew her as "Mami”: loving, nurturing, counselor, and generous to a fault. She was a most wonderful mother and role model for her family and others who knew her. Since her arrival in Odessa, she felt she had no other job than to be her husband’s helpmate and a devoted mother. She was versatile in the things she could do. She could rewire an outlet and in the same day continue painting on a mural. She enjoyed learning how to snow ski and scuba dive with her husband and family in their 50’s and continued to be active until 5 years ago. If something had to get done she would do it. This characteristic influenced all of her children, their spouses, grandchildren and great grandchildren. A finer wife, a better mother, or a kinder person would be most difficult to find in this world. We will all miss her presence here greatly. But because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on behalf of mankind, we can rest assured that those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will be reunited with Lilia at the time of their own physical deaths. We know that the loving arms that embrace her are holding us close now in our joy and sadness. A rosary will be said 7 – 9 pm Thursday, August 11, 2011 at Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home. Mass will be celebrated at 2:30 p.m. Friday, August 12, 2011 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church with Father Santiago Udayar officiating. Interment will follow at the Odessa Cemetery.

Services entrusted to Hubbard-Kelly Funeral Home.