Diane C. Martinez

It is with great sorrow that the family of Diane Cecelia Martinez announces her passing on February 25th, 2026, three days after her 80th birthday. Diane went home to Heaven surrounded by her husband and children in Campbell, CA. She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Pat Martinez, her daughter, Christina Shirey, son, Andrew Martinez, sister Linda Jackson, and grandchildren Benjamin and Joel Shirey and Elise and Adele Martinez and numerous beloved nieces, nephews and grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

Diane was born at the US Naval Base on Bremerton Island in Washington State to Anne and Chester Maksim on February 22, 1946. Diane grew up in Palo Alto CA, graduating from Holy Cross High School in 1963 and University of San Francisco in 1967. She and Pat were married in 1968 and their daughter, Christina was born in 1971 and their son Andrew in 1977. In 1978 they became members of Church of the Crossroads in Mountain View (now Gateway City Church in San Jose) and never left. Pat and Diane served in various ministries for over 48 years, impacting hundreds of people and founding deeply cherished life-long friendships with many there.

To quote Pat, “to know Diane was to fall in love with her” which is echoed by all who knew her. Diane made people feel seen, heard, accepted, celebrated and loved. She was one of the funniest and most relatable people anyone could wish to know. She welcomed people, drew them into the fold with authentic friendship and joy to know them. She loved to talk, laugh, sing and do her little dances around the house or wherever she went, actually. She was a leader and a gatherer without even realizing it. She had a strong character with integrity, a fierce love for God and His Word and deep intelligence and discernment of how others ticked. She was a prolific neologist, making up a whole repertoire of silly words and songs that delighted her children and grandchildren. She made the best fried potatoes, spaghetti and gingerbread. We will miss hearing her singing as she did the dishes, her effusive expressions of joy, the four songs she played on the piano the way she reveled in her grandchildren’s presence and telling her all about our days and hearing all about hers. With her gone, we’ve lost our greatest comfort, our truest confidante and the feeling of what home should feel like.

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, he praises her.

Proverbs 31:28