On November 25, 2017 at 2:30 PM Carmelita Ramirez Martinez entered into the safe memory of her God Jehovah.
She was born on December 23, 1943, in Hollister, CA to Serapio “Shorty” J. Ramirez and Lupe Gonzales (Avila). As a child her father moved the family to New Idria, California where he worked in the quicksilver mines and she was affectionately known as Carmelita de La Mina.
In the sixties as a single mother raising 4 children she enrolled herself at Cabrillo College attending night classes and working all day. She secured a position as a pre-school teacher at the Buena Vista Migrant Child Care Center, and worked her way up to being its director. She was known though out the migrant camp as La Maestra Carmen.
In the early 80’s she started working as a campus supervisor at Watsonville High School and was stationed at the corner of Lincoln St and Maple Ave, and was known as Carmen the cool NARC.
In the early 90’s she worked as a childcare resource specialist with the County Office of Education. Carmelita discovered a great need for the Spanish speaking population to receive CPR training, so she took it upon herself to become a CPR instructor, and held weekly classes at her home in Spanish, which continued after she retired and even after she survived a massive stroke in 2012.
Motivated by her love for Jehovah and for people Carmelita’s greatest joy was going from house to house preaching the Good News of Kingdom. In 2011 she was blessed with the opportunity to attend The Watchtower Societies Pioneer School, and traveled to Minnesota to serve where the need was great. She will be greatly missed by her spiritual brothers and sisters in the Green Valley, Rolling Hills and Spanish congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Carmelita loved the color purple, butterflies and her PT Cruiser. She loved eating popcorn, drinking Mocha Frappaccinos (twice blended with extra ice) and watching the 49ers play football. She was an excellent cook, seamstress and made the best homemade flour tortillas. She loved to laugh, dance, sing and loved her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and will be sorely missed by them all.
She is survived by her devoted children Katie Limas (Leo), Victor Balli (Emily), Art Ramirez and Margaret Valle (Dan) all of Watsonville; siblings Anna Avila, Gloria Valenzuela, Bobby Ramirez (Virginia ) and John Avila; grandchildren Christina (Vince), Leo, Carmelita, Andrea (Alfredo), Jillian, Felicia and Aaliyah; great-grandchildren Isaiah, Savanah, Maliyah, Elizabeth and Isaac. She is also survived by numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and their families.
She was preceded in death by her husband Santana Martinez in 2002.
Services will be held on December 16th at 4:15 PM at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 480 S Green Valley Rd., Watsonville, CA 95076. Please consider wearing something purple.
Memorial donations in Carmelita’s name to the National Stroke Association are preferred.
