Marlene Martinez

Marlene P. Martinez BRIGHAM CITY – Our loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend, Marlene Petersen Martinez, 67, passed away peacefully at her home on Thursday, August 15, 2019, due to cancer. She was born on March 18, 1952, in Brigham City, Utah, a daughter of Sidney and Phyrl Smith Petersen. Marlene graduated from Box Elder High School in 1970 and graduated from Weber State University in Dental Hygiene. Marlene worked at Dr. Capener’s office in Brigham City and Dr. Larsen’s in Pleasant View. Marlene married Carlos Martinez on June 22, 1975 in Elko, Nevada. Marlene was instrumental in organizing the Porch Parade in Brigham City in 2009. She had a love for children and started the Annual Witches Ball that was used to raise funds for the Samaritan Purse Christmas Shoe Box. She was a very creative and talented person and donated countless hours restoring old items into beautiful gifts used as raffle prizes at the Witches Ball. The proceeds were used to fill 100s of shoeboxes so children could receive their first-ever Christmas present. These shoeboxes were delivered to war-torn communities in countries around the world. She and her good friend Annette Whately donated many hours after work and raising children at the Utah Migrant Clinic to clean migrant children and adult’s teeth that had no means to pay for dental work. Marlene enjoyed crafts, arts, painting, decorating, gardening and bird watching. She was often found on her front porch enjoying her grandchildren, family, and friends or in peaceful solitude. She had a generous heart and always had a way of finding a silver lining around any dark clouds. She will be deeply missed by her husband, and family and many of her friends that loved her dearly. In lieu of flowers, make donations to the Samaritan Purse Operation Christmas Child via the link below. https://sampur.se/2KRXsBA. Surviving is her husband, Carlos; three children, Mark Martinez; Ben (Rachel) Martinez; Amelia (Eric) Snyder; nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; three siblings, Stan (Jana) Petersen; Linda (Neil) Bessinger; Bruce (Lavina) Petersen. She was preceded in death by her parents, and one sister, Brenda Liggett. Funeral services will be held on Friday, August 23, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. Gillies Funeral Chapel, 634 East 200 South, Brigham City, Utah. Viewings will be held on Thursday, August 22 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and on Friday, August 23 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Interment will be in the Brigham City Cemetery. Send condolences to www.gfc-utah.com.