Ginelda Martinez

Ginelda Lopez Martinez passed away on October 17, 2026 in Lubbock, Texas at the age of 38. Mrs. Martinez was born on December 4, 1987 in San Angelo, Texas to Jose Lopez, Sr. and Maria Lopez. Rosary will be held at Bell-Cypert-Seale Funeral Home at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. Funeral Mass will be held at 2:00 pm Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Snyder.

Ginelda is survived by her husband Santiago Martinez, son Santiago Israel Martinez, daughter Elena Renee Martinez, mother Maria Lopez, brother, Jose Lopez, Jr. and a host of other relatives. She was proceeded in death by her father Jose Lopez Sr., sister Maritza Juarez, brother Roberto Lopez and niece Alysia Juarez.

Some people leave behind memories, while others leave behind a love that will forever be missed. Ginelda Lopez-Martinez was one of those whose love and outgoing energy was felt by many.

Ginelda was born in San Angelo, Texas and was raised in the small town of Snyder, Texas. She attended Snyder High School and was a flutist in the Snyder Tiger Band, a member of the Speech & Debate team, upward bound program, and participated in woodworking where she discovered and expressed her passion for creativity. After graduating from Snyder H.S. in 2006, Ginelda continued her education at Western Texas College while also being a radio personality for Snyder’s local radio station KSNY 101.5 FM. She was known as “Renee” to everyone who listened to her sweet voice through the air waves. She then moved to San Angelo and transferred to Angelo State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication in 2013 while also being a radio personality for KSJT 107.5 FM.

Following her graduation, Ginelda pursued a career in broadcast journalism for television stations KLST/KSAN where she anchored the news and helped keep her community informed doing what she loved, as she would say, “Now to do what God put me on this earth to do... have salon quality hair and read the news.”

Outside of her professional life Ginelda married her high school sweetheart Santiago Martinez from San Angelo in April 2012. The two met in December 2003 at the former Wagon Wheel Ranch outside of Snyder while she was attending a private party of a family friend and while he was the saxophonist of the band that was playing for the occasion. Ginelda and Santiago maintained a long-distance relationship for most of the time they courted. Often times the two would make plans to see each other during the week when neither of the two were in school or like one occasion when Snyder HS and San Angelo Lake View played each other, they would both fall out of formation from their respective marching bands and give each other a hug and a kiss and swap gifts. Through many trials and tribulations, they remained together from that fateful night on December 20, 2003, up until her final breath on October 17th, 2026, just a couple minutes past the stroke of midnight. They brought into this world two beautiful children, Santiago Israel in April 2008 and Elena Renee in March 2017.

Ginelda found great joy in the simplest things in life. Whether it was spending quality time with her family and friends, cooking a meal she really wanted to get right, or listening to and singing music either by herself or with her daughter. She found happiness in the moments that brought people together. We didn’t know it then, but those were the moments that truly reflected who Ginelda was: a woman who cherished the company of others and the memories they created together.

Ginelda was more than a sister, a daughter, a friend, a mother, and a wife. She was Ginelda. A woman with a love so pure it felt as if it could heal the world. A woman with a sense of humor so unique, it could turn anyone’s day around. Her caring and nurturing nature had no limits, especially when it came to her children. No matter how old they grew, her love for them will forever remain the same. As she would lovingly remind her son and daughter, that he would forever be her little boy, and that she will forever be her princess.

Like all of us, life was not always kind to Ginelda. Yet, even when life was not going the way she would have liked, she never allowed those hardships to define who she was. Ginelda fought a long fight with metastatic breast cancer since December of 2020, a journey filled with challenges that tested her physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Despite the hardships she had endured, she stayed strong with her faith. Ginelda was a constant reminder that Jesus is real! Her faith in the lord remained an important part of her life, even during moments when finding strength was difficult, she gave her everything and fought until the very end. Through the many hardships in her life such as the loss of her father, sister, and younger brother and her own cancer diagnosis, it could never take away the love she gave or the impact she left on those around her.

Although Ginelda’s time on this earth has come to an end too soon, the love she gave and the memories she created will forever remain in the hearts and minds of us all. For those fortunate enough to know Ginelda, her absence may leave a hole in our soul that will never be filled. Her family and friends may find comfort in knowing that although she may be separated from us, she is now free from the pain and suffering that was never deserved, while resting peacefully in the loving arms of the lord and reunited with the loved ones that went before her. Ginelda was a walking blessing not only for her family and friends, but for the world. Her unconditional love, gentle voice, soft touch and beautiful scent is a gift that will never be forgotten but instead cherished as beautiful memories for the rest of our lives.

Special request by Ginelda from a Facebook post on August 31, 2025. “Yup, when I die, someone make sure this gets put into my Obituary.” - “I wasted half my life telling people how to spell my name” It’s spelled G-I-N-E-L-D-A not J-E-N-A-L-D-A.

P.S. We love and will miss you more than words could ever express. I will forever be your little boy, your pollito hermoso. And you will forever be my mama. I don’t know how long I will be mad at the world for stealing you from me. You were the first woman I ever loved and as I told you shortly before all of this, “the only girl I don’t regret crying over.” I really hope heaven is real so I can see your beautiful face again and for you to hold me in your arms one more time. I am going to miss you so badly and I don’t know what I'm going to do without my queen. But I am so grateful you don’t have to live in pain any longer. I know how alone you felt at times, and I wish I could have given you more support when I had the chance, because I noticed. Say hi to our family for me! I miss them just as bad as I miss you. I love you so much. See you soon <3. -her son, “nino”.