Edward “Eddie Boy” Martinez, 78, began his journey to heaven on June 25, 2026.

A native of Tucson, AZ, he attended Rincon High School and graduated from Sunnyside High School. He was a varsity letterman in both Baseball and Track & Field and won the royalty honor of Rodeo King in 1966.

He attended the University of Arizona where he joined the US Army Reserves. He worked for Daniels Jewelers and later for Dunn Edwards Paint Stores. He eventually started, “Ed Martinez Painting” as a licensed independent contractor. He was known by many for his skills in both residential and commercial projects in Tucson and Flagstaff, AZ. He retired from the City of Tucson after 27 years of service.

He met his wife, Cathy, in January 1970, and they married in February of the same year. They shared a beautiful romance filled with love for over 56 years. Building a life on their shared Catholic faith, they created a home and raised two adoring daughters, Patricia and Melissa. A couple that was as solid as a rock, they were inseparable running a business, carpooling to work, and volunteering in the community. They coached and supported many of their daughters’ teams and activities together. Most important, they prayed together and endured many of life’s ups and downs as a solid, unbreakable pair. They have three favorite grand-children, Marisa, Faedra, and Mikel.

As a husband and father, he set the bar high as a provider, protector, and comforter. He could fix anything with a hammer and a roll of duct tape. There are not enough words to convey how awesome he was. He was more than just a cool dad to us; he also formed great relationships with all the neighborhood kids and friends of his daughters. He was always just a phone call away to offer words of encouragement and wisdom. He was a girl dad of the highest caliber, always ready to help his girls and taught them how to be independent and self-sufficient. As a proud Tata, he could always be found in the stands at every game, in the audience of every performance, and in attendance of every special event. He demonstrated his strong faith by showing his family unconditional love, patience, and the power of prayer. He was a constant source of peaceful energy.

Eddie was a simple guy, a man of few words. Known for his iconic mustache and beard, he was not impressed by name brands or material things. He found real value in priceless treasures such as family dinners at the table and long scenic drives. He always had a good joke or witty comeback to make people laugh. He also loved to sing and dance, build camp fires, and watch sports. On his free time, you were likely to find him mastering the grill, completing projects around the house, or enjoying a cold beer with his son-in-law, Jose Romo. Eddie proudly served in the US Army Reserves. He took his final breaths in his home, as he requested, surrounded by his loving family. We are so eternally grateful to have him in our lives and we treasure every moment spent together.

He is proceeded in death by his parents, Eduardo and Gloria Martinez. He is survived by his wife, Cathy, daughters Patricia (Jose Romo) and Melissa (Melissa Elena Heredia), and three grandchildren, Marisa, Faedra, Mikel (Katrina Funk). Eddie is also survived by four sisters and many extended family members.

Special thanks and love for his little sister, Yolanda Martinez, for her constant support and great selection of snacks to satisfy his sweet tooth. And to our wonderful caring neighbors, we are so blessed to have you in our lives.