Nieves Mireles (Mireles) Martinez

Nieves Mireles Martinez, 87, of Irving, Texas, passed away on Wednesday, July 7, 2021. She was born in Terlingua, Texas the daughter of Arcadio and Refugina Mireles. Nieves grew up and went to school in Alpine, Texas. She didn't start school until the age of 10. Nieves was the only child in her family to go as far as the 8th grade. She was the child of farm laborers and the family picked cotton around Lubbock, Texas. She later went on to work in laundry matts, at a factory in Marfa, Texas, sewing pockets on jeans, and at Barron's dept Stores in Odessa and San Angelo. Education was important to Nieves but because her mother was often ill, she dropped out of school to care for her and keep house for the family. After her mother’s passing in 1959 she moved to Odessa, Texas, where Nieves met and married Jose Martinez. Nieves married Jose on March 28, 1960. They had 10 children, eight girls and two boys, all born in Odessa. In October 1994 Nieves went back to school to earn her GED at The Noel Learning Center. At the age of 62, she received her GED. After all the high school rings she helped buy her children, her children bought her a school ring that she cherished.

Nieves is survived by her son, Jose Martinez Jr., Santiago Martinez and wife, Tifney; daughters, Rosita Martinez, Norma Macho and husband, Michael, Teresita Garcia, Monica Martinez, Janey Martinez and husband, Joe Perez; Helena Martinez and husband, Miguel Naranjo, Veronica Simpson and husband Kelley, Lorenza Lory Martinez; grandchildren Phillip Villa and wife, Alysha, Robert Martinez and wife, Cecilia, Joshua Martinez, Amanda Sah, Sam Villa and wife, Heather, Benjamin Tarver, Isaac Garcia, Monique Rios and wife, Hannah Ripperger, Gabe Perez, Becca Perez, Jenny Perez, Nicholas Morales, Megan Mulligan, Mekhail Mulligan, Isabella Simpson, Arianna Martinez; and great granddaughters Alina Cristal Martinez and Victoria Snow Villa; among numerous other family and friends