Obituary: Ramon ‘Raymond’ Martinez, 72, Ludington.

Ramon Martinez

Obituary: Ramon ‘Raymond’ Martinez, 72, Ludington.

Ramon “Raymond” Martinez, 72, of Ludington passed away on Sunday, July 15, 2018.  Ramon was born on January 21, 1946 in San Antonio, Texas, the fourth of five sons born to Merced and Margarita (Soto) Martinez.  In 1958 they moved their family to Mason County and strived to teach their sons how to work and make an honest living.  Ramon attended Free Soil schools where he participated in track, winning many awards and ribbons, and also participated in basketball and baseball for the Free Soil Pirates.  He graduated in 1965 and began working for Great Lakes Castings in Ludington where he worked for the next 47 years until his retirement in 2012.  He was a proud member of UAW Local 1464.

Ramon loved vintage cars and riding around the area listening to his favorite “oldies” music.  This hobby was second only to his love for his children and grandchildren and being in their company.  Ramon was a man of few words, but once he got to know you, you couldn’t leave unless he told you at least two stories about his youth and lessons he had learned.  He has passed on many of those lessons to his family.  They will fondly remember him teaching them to play “21”, War, and Slap Jack card games.

Ramon will be greatly missed by his children, Raymond Martinez Jr. and wife Katrina of Scottville, Candida Ann Martinez of Ludington, June Marie Harvey of Walhalla, Crestino Ray Clever-Martinez, Carrie Gutierrez and husband Benito, Caryn Silsby and husband Christopher, and Michael Martinez all of Ludington.  He was preceded in death by his parents Merced and Margarita, his son Rolando Ray Martinez, his grandsons Kegan Harvey and Logan Clever, his brothers Adolfo and Henry Martinez, and his nephew Michael.

Ramon will also be remembered by his grandchildren, Donald, Brittany, Anthony, Raymond Jr. II, Misty, Rollando, Nikko, Lexi, Rico, Thomas, Mercedes, Ethan, Alyssa, Matthew, Ryleigh, Jared, Christian, Jacob, Jamie, Jasmin, Hunter, Margarita, Isaiah, Jonathan, Michael, Hank, and Savannah; 16 great-grandchildren; his brothers Ernesto Martinez and wife Nancy of Hesperia, and Nicholas Martinez and wife Becky of Grand Rapids; his aunts Lucy and Mary of the Saginaw area; along with numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated for Ramon at 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 19 at St. Simon Catholic Church in Ludington with The Rev. Wayne Wheeler as celebrant.  Burial will follow at Brookside Cemetery in Scottville.  Friends may meet with his family during a time of visitation on Wednesday evening from 6 – 8 p.m. at Wyman Funeral & Cremation Services – Stephens Funeral Home in Scottville, and on Thursday morning from 10 to 11 a.m. at St. Simon’s Church.  Those who wish to remember Ramon with a memorial donation are asked to consider the American Diabetes Association.

Please visit Ramon’s memory page at www.wymanfuneralservice.com to leave a tribute of Ramon for his family or to light a candle in his memory.