Preciliano Joseph (Press) Martin, also known as Joseph Martinez, 71 passed away in Raton, NM on July 8th, 2017.
Preciliano was born in Denver, Colorado on February 25, 1946 to Maria del Refugio (Ruby Benavidez) Martin and Jose Reynaldo (Ray) Martin who preceded him in death. He was also preceded in death by his maternal grandparents Roman Benavidez and Ignacia Archuleta of Rowe, New Mexico and his paternal grandparents Jose Preciliano Martin and Sara Paulina Velarde of Watrous, New Mexico.
He was raised in Rowe, New Mexico and attended school in Rowe, Pecos, Santa Fe and Brighton, Colorado. He was descended from some of the oldest families in New Mexico.
Precilino worked for a time in Los Angeles, CA and then as a barber in the Denver area for a few years until he returned to New Mexico and worked at Glorieta Baptist Conference Center in Glorieta, NM until he started a career with the U.S. Forest Service in May of 1971 as a forest fire fighter. He worked on the Carson National Forest in New Mexico, the Clearwater National Forest in Idaho, the Custer National Forest in Montana, the Superior National Forest in Minnesota, the Chequamegon and Nicolet National Forest’s in Wisconsin and retiring in every western state and management spanning the last 28 years of the 20th century.
After his retirement he returned home to New Mexico, living for a time in Alamogordo before moving to Raton in 2004. Precilino spend his time in retirement hiking, fishing, doing yard work, remodeling their two houses in Raton and traveling the surrounding area studying and documenting his family’s history. Presiliano was very interested in a read extensively the history of New Mexico.
He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Donna DeVault Martin of the family home, sons Alonzo Issac, of Seattle, WA and Julian Geronimo, of Billings, MT. Also, surviving him are his brother Ron Martin of Rowe, New Mexico, sister Amalia Garcia Lucero of Brighton, Colorado, Maria Deluvina Garcia Thill of Jordan, Minnesota and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins scattered over the entire country.
As per his wishes there will be no services and the body will be cremated and the ashes scattered somewhere in New Mexico.
Arrangements for Preciliano Joseph (Press) Martin are under the direction of the Alderette-Pomeroy Funeral Home.
