Celebrant Pam Meily Vetter


	Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story...

Raul Martinez was born to his mother, Winy Kenley, in September 1957. Raul and Winy lived in Mexico until 1963. His mother worked as an executive secretary and personal assistant in a pharmaceutical firm in Mexico. Raul was Winy's greatest joy in life and from the beginning, he was a sweet boy with a gentle disposition. In 1963, Raul and Winy relocated to the United States. Raul started first grade in West Hollywood. He had a Catholic upbringing and the family celebrated special holidays from Easter to Christmas. He was also an altar boy at church. For many years, he attended Catholic school and went on to graduate from Hollywood High School.

Raul was very close with his aunts and cousins. From the age of five to ten, he visited with family and spent time every summer with his Aunt Anita and his cousins, Veronique, Claude and Eric. Aunt Anita was like a second mother to Raul. His extended family really loved Raul as they celebrated birthdays and holidays together. The family always got together at their Grandmother Sylvia's home in Beverly Hills for very elegant Christmas and New Year's parties. Raul also spent a great deal of time with his grandfather, who talked to him about the diamond business, science, flowers and photography. His grandfather was a real personality and Raul loved asking him questions. It was one of Raul's favorite things to do in life – asking questions. He always seemed so interested in what you were doing.

A special relationship, Raul was devoted to his mother and she was devoted to her son. They had a protective, loving and caring relationship. Most of the time, it was just the two of them and Winy was really both mother and father to him. He could talk to her about anything and they developed a strong friendship. They did everything together. In fact, it was difficult for her when he left for summer camps, but she was so happy when he came home again. While they listened to classical music at home, Winy was a contemporary mom who also appreciated music by the Beatles and the social change that came with that era. In August 1966, she took Raul to one of the last Beatles concerts at Dodger Stadium. He loved that shared experience with his mother for the rest of his life.

While it was hard for Winy to let go, Raul moved away and attended DeVry University in Phoenix, Arizona. It was at DeVry where he made life-long friends. He became good friends with his roommate Gino and Gino's future wife, Eva.

Gino took Raul home to meet his family and Gino and Eva shared some wonderful travels with him. Raul and Gino both owned motorcycles and with the open highway, they traveled all over the state of Arizona from Prescott to Globe. Raul owned a 1976 RD 400 motorcycle and so he rode his motorcycle while Gino and Eva rode their motorcycle. It was great fun as they visited Montezuma's Castle and the Grand Canyon. There were many little excursions as they explored the state together.

After Raul graduated with his degree from DeVry in 1980, professionally, he earned a job as a technician on the Bradley tank system at Hughes Aircraft. He worked at Hughes in Southern California for ten years from 1980 to 1990. Later, he worked at Universal Studios, where he loved meeting new people. For a while, he also worked for a recording studio and over the years, he did a lot of volunteer work for the Red Cross.

Through the years, Raul traveled with his mother a lot. There were trips to Mexico, Montreal, Nova Scotia, Vancouver British Columbia for the 1986 World's Fair, Oregon, Tahiti, Jamaica, Switzerland, New Mexico, Colorado, and even a Caribbean cruise. Raul loved traveling.

Through it all, he remembered his friends. When he traveled to Thailand, he called Gino to wish him a "Happy Birthday." When Gino and Eva welcomed their three children, Jacqueline, Carolyn, and Jason, Raul was known as "Uncle Raul" to the kids. He was a wonderful uncle as he talked to the kids and played with them. As Eva describes it, he was really weaved into the fabric of their lives. He went on many vacations with the family while the kids were growing up. When the family went to the Long Beach Aquarium, Raul and his mother joined them. He also joined them at a rock and roll concert at the Greek Theatre, San Diego Animal Park, the Queen Mary, Lake Tahoe and a few trips to Las Vegas. He also attended the kids' graduations. When Gino's father celebrated his 80th birthday, Raul was there to celebrate, too. He went to the family's home to watch the Super Bowl and the Indy 500. Raul was sort of like an adopted brother, a big part of their lives. Every year in the week before Christmas, Raul celebrated with Gino and Eva's family so he could spend Christmas day with his mother and his extended family. He was supportive of others, whether it was a plan for someone's future or simply traveling to downtown L.A. or the Music Center.

For two or three years, Raul and Eva worked on the Rose Parade Floats. They donated a day or more to add rice, wheat and seaweed to the floats. It was a lot of work, but Raul enjoyed it. He was even interviewed by KTLA about his work on the floats.

Throughout his life, Raul had many hobbies and favorites. He and his mother had season tickets to the Los Angeles Philharmonic and he loved listening to classical music. He knew all of the conductors and musicians by name. He studied piano, took ballroom dancing lessons and flying lessons. He actually flew in gliders and loved it. He liked to ride motorcycles and race cars. He loved the cars he owned through the years, which included a light bluish gray Mercedes Benz E-500 and a dark blue BMW M-5.

A well-read man, when he was interested in something, he researched it, read about it or dabbled in it.

He loved eating fast food and pizza. He enjoyed going to The Original Petrillo's Italian restaurant in San Gabriel with Gino, Eva and the kids. And, Raul enjoyed drinking coffee.

Always smiling, he had a wonderful sense of humor and he loved to laugh. When he was living in Phoenix, he liked going to Comedy Clubs and he also liked the Comedy Clubs in Los Angeles.

He was thoughtful, as he loved sending birthday cards and writing notes to friends and family. Raul Martinez was a very gentle soul with a good heart.

In November 1996, he gave a toast at his Grandmother Sylvia's 95th birthday party which was held in the beautiful, elegant restaurant L'Orangerie. Raul toasted his grandmother with nice words and acknowledged how much he loved her. An opera singer also sang at the event, which was poignant, as years earlier, Raul had enjoyed listening to music at the Hollywood Bowl with his grandmother.

The best part of Raul's life was his special relationship with his mother, while the hardest part of his life was saying goodbye to her. Only a few months ago, he said that "he missed her companionship and his best friend, because she was a big force in his life."

The days leading up to his passing, everything seemed fine. He even talked to family and friends. The last thing he talked with Eva about was a plan to take group lessons for ballroom dancing. He seemed happy.

Over the last few months, his Aunt Anita, cousin Alleta, cousin Lambert and cousin Roxane really kept an eye on Raul, as he was starting a new life. Aunt Anita was very supportive and was there for him. Alleta had planned a trip to Texas so Raul could meet her sons and they could travel throughout the state. Lambert had talked to Raul about his interest in photography and they planned to take a photography class together. Roxane and Raul also became closer as Roxane talked to him two or three times a week and they planned on doing real estate together. The immediate family wanted to give Raul something to look forward to and help him set new goals. He seemed interested in a lot of different things, as he was truly a unique man in his own way. Until the end, he still wanted everyone's opinions and was always asking questions.

While his passing was completely unexpected, Raul will be remembered as a loyal, very kind, courteous gentleman. He was always there to support others. His family and friends feel that Raul is at peace, as he's been reunited with his mother. Everyone will miss everything about him, especially his presence. He was a special man who will be fondly remembered with the same kind, smiling spirit he bestowed upon everyone in life. He was truly a sweet, gentle soul...

May Raul Martinez rest in peace...