Joe A. Martinez

Joe A. Martinez, age 71, passed away January 24, 2020. Joe was born March 29, 1948 to Antonia and Anselmo Martinez. He graduated from W. B. Ray High School in 1966. Joe was employed with the Nueces County Community Action Agency. He will always be remembered for his love of laughter, service to the community, and his many accomplishments:
·Founding member of the Emergency Aid Coalition. This coalition is comprised of over 40 social service agencies providing numerous programs for low-income families.
·Appointed by Governor Ann Richards in April, 1992, to serve on the Texas Weatherization Policy Advisory Council.
·One of the first members on the Corpus Christi Bay Area Human Investment System and an Executive Committee member.
·Instrumental in bringing CPL Neighbor-to-Neighbor utility assistance program to the Agency – ensuring its administration is in line with established guidelines.
·Instrumental in guiding and directing the Texas Association of Community Action Agencies (TACAA), the network serves well over 650,000 people collectively with a delivery system comprised of various and sundry services benefitting the poor. Past Chairman of the association.
·Is a strong advocate for the Neighborhood Council concept. This concept brings representatives of the poor to the Board of Directors to advise and show how their communities address local problems and at the same time offering solutions to needs.
·Bringing strong administrative abilities to other agencies asking for assistance in getting back on track in their mandates. Federal agencies sought his expertise in assisting sister-agencies in the area.
·Establishing an agency affordable housing component. This component has received funding from TDHCA for development of houses in the rural community. Future funding is expected to be near $1 million.
·Initiated the Quality Partnership System (QPS) for the Agency whereby staff is participative in the decision-making process. The QPS is a concept where management may strive for total quality management of resources. It is a continuous process which examines the “product” to determine how it can be improved upon.
Joe was also involved in numerous community affairs:
·Member, Resource Assessment Work Group, Youth Opportunities United.
·Member, City of Corpus Christi 2000 Complete Count Committee (Census 2000).
·Member, Advisory Board, KEDT – FM & TV (Public Radio and Television station).
·Chairman, South Texas Community Based Organizations, Inc. (STCBOI), a network of 13 Community Based Organization in South Texas.
·Past Chairman, Region VI Association of Community Action Agencies. The Region encompasses Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.
Joe was a visionary. As Executive Director he saw the future as being bright, full of hope and productive for the Agency. His 5-year plan was wide and far-reaching, and included expanding the service base through additional Head Start and Community Services programming for all the eligible populations in Nueces County. Already, the Agency serves well over 1,100 children in Head Start with parent involvements. In Community Services, the department serves over 12,000 persons in its programming. The need for affordable housing entered his creative thinking in planning for this endeavor. He envisioned building affordable homes for low-income families in sufficient numbers to make an impact in this area. He was persuasive in obtaining funding for such important projects and personally directs the need to promote this and other futuristic programs. Joe’s guidepost was total quality management. He saw the Agency as being “Totally” a quality organization. Every process and every task was examined to ensure that limited resources could be soundly managed well into the new century. Joe had no pet projects. His leadership style, personality, character, and thinking encompassed the Agency as a whole, and his philosophy centered on “People Against Poverty…a continuing commitment”
Joe was a loving husband,father, son, brother and friend. Joe is preceded in death by his mother, Antonia Martinez, father, Anselmo Martinez, sister, Ramona Balboa, brother, Joe Reyes, sister, Mary Garza, brother, Jesse Reyes, mother-in-law, Sofia Almaguer, father-in-law, Joe Almaguer, brother-in-law, Jerry Almaguer, Faustina Reyes and Juan Reyes.
Joe is survived by his loving wife of 48 years, Penny Martinez, son, Joseph Martinez, daughter, Halee Brie Garza, his siblings, Hortencia Portilla, Reynaldo (Edna) Reyes, Elvira (Roy) Villarreal, Oralia (Victor) Arellano, Leo Reyes, sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Grace Almaguer, Jeff Almaguer, Gina Almaguer, Michelle (Mike) Aguas and Jay Almaguer and several nieces, nephews, cousins and countless friends.
Visitation will be held from 4:00 P.M. until 9:00 P.M., Wednesday, January 29, 2020 at Corpus Christi Funeral Home with a rosary to be recited at 7:00 P.M. that same evening. Funeral mass will be celebrated at 9:00 A.M., Thursday, January 30, 2020 at the Corpus Christi Cathedral. Interment will follow at Rose Hill Memorial Park.