Lettie (Leticia Gutierrez) Martinez was born November 8, 1927, at her maternal grandmother's home on Alamo St, in Las Vegas, NM. The third of six children, her parents were Roman and Babs Larrañaga Gutierrez. She had a humble childhood growing up in Dilia and attended public schools in Santa Rosa until the family relocated to Las Vegas in 1943 in the midst of WWII.

She enrolled at Las Vegas Highlands HS, the student teaching site for NMHU, and graduated in 1945. Thereafter, she went to work at Hoffman & Graubarth, a finer clothing store in Town, and she worked there until she married Joseph Leon Martinez on December 27, 1947. This union was blessed with four daughters and a son.

While rearing children and maintaining a loving home, Lettie continued to work to contribute to the household income. She worked as a bookkeeper for the Las Vegas Gas Co. (later Suburban Doxol Gas Co.). Next, she was employed in the West Las Vegas Schools early childhood education program. Concurrently and as a prerequisite to her employment there, she attended evening classes year-round at NMHU working on an Associate's in early childhood education.

With two classes remaining to finish her goal, she resigned from her employment and decided her three younger daughters needed her at home. Thereafter, she worked part-time as a substitute teacher in the WLV Schools and every Saturday as a checker at Guerin's Grocery.

Her Catholic faith was very important to her, and she was enrolled at Our Lady of Sorrows Church. There, she was a member of Catholic Daughters and very dedicated to Comunidad de Base (clothing, money, and food donations drive ministry for those in need).

In the community, she was a committed Alta Vista Regional Hospital Auxiliary "Pink Lady", spent 70 years' service to the American Legion Auxiliary Post 12/24, volunteered at NM Girls State as Senior Counselor, and served with regularity and as her patriotic duty as an elections judge.

In 1991, she was appointed by Governor Bruce King to the NM Boundaries Commission. She served in this capacity for the duration of his term, which ended in 1995.

Our beautiful Lettie went to meet the Lord in the early hours of November 30, 2023. She passed peacefully while sleeping in the home she always filled with love and warmth. She lived to be the strong matriarch of two families: the Larrañagas on her mom's side and the Gutierrezes on her dad's.

She is preceded in death by her husband, two brothers Ray and Dan, two sisters Beatrice Robinson and Marcella Maguire, as well as in-laws Billy Ortega, Suede Robison, Mary Judy Martinez, and three nephews and four nieces.

She is survived by her five children: Sharon, Leroy, Leona Montoya, Missy Dueñas, and Jennifer Loera; three-sons-in-law: Carlos Montoya, Michael Dueñas, and Marvin Loera; cherished grandson Sammie Garcia; sister Sylvia Ortega, brother-in-law Jose Leroy Martinez; and sister-in-law Beatrice Gutierrez. There are also nine grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren, five first cousins, and a multitude of nieces and nephews remaining.

Rosary services are scheduled for Wednesday, December, 13, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. Funeral Mass will be Thursday, December 14, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. Both celebrations of this extraordinary life will be at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church in Las Vegas, NM. Burial will follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery on Hot Springs Blvd. with the following serving as Pallbearers; Sammie Garcia, Dustin Dueñas, Jaryn Loera, Carlos Montoya, Michael Dueñas, and Marvin Loera.

Floral arrangement orders should be delivered to the funeral home. However, the family's preference is monetary donations in her memory to Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church "Building Fund" at 403 Valencia St. Las Vegas, NM 87701.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to and under the care of Rogers Mortuary, 600 Reynolds Ave., Las Vegas, NM 87701, 505-425-3511 or 1-800-479-3511.

Please visit our online website www.rogersmortuarynm.com to sign the online register book.