Teresa Martinez

TERESA J. MARTINEZ

Cedar Rapids

Teresa J. Martinez, 81, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Saturday, June 3, 2017. Funeral Mass: 9 a.m. Friday at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church. The Rev. Christopher Podhajsky will officiate. Entombment in Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home, where there will be a rosary recited at 5 p.m.

She is survived by her five children, Rafael (Theresa), Elizabeth, Edy, Manny (Terri Kennealy) and Omar Martinez; 11 grandchildren, Megan (Cal), Matthew (Delana), Chante (Gerald), Maria (Rodney), Shane, J'nae, Mark, Anthony, Erin, Max and Christopher Martinez; 18 great-grandchildren; and her brother, Antonio De La Mora and his children.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Manuel; and parents, Esperanza Aleman and Antonio De La Mora.

Teresa was born and raised in Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico. She attended Universidad Nacional Antonoma de Mexico (UNAM) while studying law. In 1965, they decided to relocate their family to Cedar Rapids. Teresa and her family settled into the southeast side of Cedar Rapids, where she became an active member and eucharistic minister at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church until her death. Teresa was also a long-term employee and retiree of Rockwell Collins.

Teresa proudly served as the first commissioner of Latino Affairs in Eastern Iowa, was a long-term immigration reform activist, active member of the Latino Caucus and previous Linn County campaign coordinator for Bill and Hillary Clinton and Al Gore. She dedicated countless hours and resources to directly assisting hundreds of immigrants in Iowa obtain legal status and citizenship in the United States.

A life well lived. Please join us for the funeral Mass in memory of our extraordinary mother and grandmother.

Memorial donations may be directed to C.S.P.S. or to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Please leave a message or tribute to the Martinez family on the website, www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.