Alice B. Martinez

Alice Bonilla Martinez, born on June 13, 1936, in Houston, Texas, passed away peacefully on June 3, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas, lived a long, vibrant, and full life that was marked by love, laughter, family, and a spirit that could outshine even the brightest Texas sun.

Mom, Grandma, Great-Grandma, lived a full and happy life. She was a military wife from the time she married her beloved husband Lorenzo Martinez, Jr. on August 22, 1953. They lived in Okinawa, El Paso Okinawa, Massachusetts, Kansas, and then finally settled in San Antonio, TX.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Manuel and Felicia D. Bonilla, her beloved husband, Lorenzo Martinez, Jr., and her grandson, Marc A. Martinez.

Alice is survived by her children, Maria F. Hurst, Lawrence Martinez and Donna, Ralph Martinez and Mary, Monica Brooks and David, Anthony L. Martinez and Sandra, and Irene L. Estrada; her grandchildren, Donald Hurst, Nicholas Martinez and Amanda, Corina Wetzel and Justin, Kierston Gokey and Christopher, Daniel Z. Martinez, Nina A. Martinez, Nicole B. Balingit and Sai, Sonny M. Kretzer and Denise, Desiree M. Martinez, Matt Medina, Brianna Rincon, and Lorenzo Alexander Martinez; and her great-grandchildren, Roman Hurst, Megan, Maisie, Logan, Hailey, and Conner Gokey, Branden, Jayden, and Jazlyn Balingit, Sonny II and Sophia Kretzer, and Olivia Medina. Her family was her greatest pride.

Alice was an amazing and talented seamstress for many years, and she loved sewing. She also bowled in numerous leagues at Skylark Bowling Alley, Lackland A.F.B. in Texas for many years, where she became well known and deeply loved by her fellow bowlers. She was not just part of the league; she was part of the legend. Her son Anthony and daughter-in-law Sandra bowled on many leagues with her and were there to witness her bowl a perfect 300 game on September 8, 2000, a moment that surely made the pins question their career choices.

She was also a wonderful cook, and her enchiladas were the kind of meal that could make a person suddenly believe in destiny. Her children always looked forward to Sunday enchilada dinners and would never miss them, because when Alice cooked, it was not merely dinner, it was an event. The recipe, learned by heart from her daddy, was passed down with love and served with the kind of confidence only a truly gifted cook can have. She also loved shopping, and her grandchildren have many stories of trips to HEB and the BX with their grandma, where every outing became an adventure and every employee knew her by her first name.

Alice loved dancing and was a very good dancer, keeping it going until the age of 89, which is impressive enough to make the rest of us look like we need a nap and a lesson. She loved to travel and enjoyed trips with family to New Mexico, Colorado, Louisiana, New York City, Chicago, Las Vegas, Nevada, Bahamas, Spain, and many beaches in Florida. She walked on the Skydeck in Chicago and did not flinch while encouraging her daughter Maria to try it too, which is the exact kind of brave support only a mother can provide. She also trio-parasailed with Sonny and Denise in Destin, Florida, and they said she was so relaxed and comfortable the entire time.

Most of all, Alice loved time with her family. Her biggest accomplishment in life was always her children, and she was proud of each and every one of them. She loved them to the moon and back, as she often said, and she lived by the simple truth that all she ever needed in life was her family. That was her center, her joy, and her favorite place to be. She was loving, kind, and adventurous, and those words fit her perfectly, though they still do not fully capture her humor, her warmth, or the way she could light up a room just by being in it.

She was a huge fan of the Dallas Cowboys and the San Antonio Spurs, and when they played, you could catch her watching the game. Alice leaves behind a family shaped by her love, her humor, and her unmistakable presence. She will be remembered with deep affection, endless gratitude, and more than a few smiles, because a life this lively deserves nothing less.

The family will receive guests from 12:00 to 2:00 p.m., Friday, June 19, 2026, at Porter Loring Mortuary West, with a funeral service to follow at 2:00 p.m.