Alise Martinez

When young, about 8 years old, Alise got home from school one day, very excited.

She ran into the house, put her book bag down on the table and then ran outside to the backyard, first getting the folding step ladder, dragging it over onto the lawn and set it up. Then, she started to climb up the ladder.

Her mother, watching all this through a window, wondered what in heaven’s name was she doing. Fearing little Alise would fall off the ladder, she ran out to where the ladder was set up and asked her daughter, “why are you climbing the ladder” and telling her to come back down.

Alise, with excitement, began to explain that Sister (Roman Catholic Nun) talked about Heaven, how beautiful it is and how very happy all the children were in Heaven, because there were all kind of toys and games and many happy things to do. So, Alise responded that she wanted to climb up to Heaven and see for herself how beautiful and happy everyone was.

With a smile on her face her mom said, “it is not yet time for you to go there, but later you can climb up, later”.

Alsie was born in Los Angeles, California on August 18, 1947. She lived with her parents and grandparents in Los Angeles (they had a huge house) and later moved with her parents to Montebello, CA where she went to Catholic schools until after high school, when she left to go to college in New Rochelle, NY.

After college she lived in different parts of the USA; lived in Westchester County NY in cities and towns along the Hudson River. She also lived in NYC, Helena Montana, St. Louis Missouri and San Francisco CA and finally in Scottsville VA.

When in NY, she received her degree in US and World History which she loved, as well as studying about the founding of our nation, especially the colonial period and the Founding Fathers.

When living in San Franciso for over 30 years, she received a nursing degree and worked as an RN at San Franciso General Hospital, aka “The General”. She spent the bulk of her career caring for AIDS patients from early 1988 till her retirement in Scottsville, VA in 2011.

During her life, she loved to travel and learn about the culture and history of different countries. Also, she enjoyed studying Palladian architecture.

She set foot on every Continent of the globe, except for Oceania and Antarctica. She had always wanted to go to Antarctica to ask the Emperor Penguins in their natural habitat why they like walking upside down. Among the many countries she loved and had hoped to return to were Peru and Nepal. She never got to go back.

Alise was preceded in death by her parents, Stella Rosich and Gilbert Martinez, brothers Karl and Eddie Martinez. She is survived by two nephews, Kristopher and Anthony Martinez and Cousins Margaret Gonzales, Norbert Gonzales and Lynda Fajkus. Margaret visited twice a year with her husband, Mike Carlson, from her home in CA for the last few years of Alise’s life.

I am grateful to the people in Alise’s life who provided love, support, patience and kindness in the years that Alise lived in Scottsville, especially the last few years in Alise’s life when she began to decline in health. Thank you to Kathy Pace, Rick Steiner, Nathanial Kidd and Wendy and Paul Tackett. Thank you to the kind folks at St Paul’s Memorial Church for their periodic visits to share communion and prayer with Alise. I know she enjoyed their presence.

Alise was laid to rest at Monticello Memorial Gardens, 670 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy in Charlottesville, VA on June 3, 2026. The service was officiated at the graveside by Episcopal Minister, The Reverend Heather Warren of St Paul’s Memorial Church of Charlottsville.