Beloved Anaheim High School staff member Frances Martinez was a unique, strong-willed individual who always inspired, gave, motivated, and believed.
Her love of life was only exceeded by her love of work. She gave 28 years of her life to the students and families of Anaheim High as a community liaison, translator, secretary, parent, mentor and role model. No matter what hat she was wearing, Frances touched countless lives.
The impact she had on the lives around her is a testament to love and kindness she shared with the people who surrounded her. She was always one to give without ever expecting to receive anything in return except for maybe a smile or a thank you.
It was well known that many of the students whom she had inspired, pushed, and helped so they could achieve their goals, even though her expectations were high, returned to share their accomplishments with her. Some students were doctors, peace officers, lawyers, teachers, or they had just managed to receive a high school diploma. Regardless of what their accomplishments – big or little – it was their achievements that made Frances happy.
Her Colonist Spirit Knew No Limit
The community knew her well and parents would seek her advice, at times, when they had school related issues involving their child, their child was rebelling and they needed help, or they would just stop by to drop off an invitation. Frances was invited to almost every baptismal, wedding, and quinceñera.
Many remember that rain or shine there was never an event that Frances couldn’t be found at. She would attend just about every game the school ever held, especially the football games. As a matter of fact, the students themselves (team members) made sure that Frances was going to be there to cheer them.
Frances was their mascot or good luck charm. Then there were also other events she hardly ever missed either such as assemblies, dances (especially prom), senior activities, back-to-school night, open house, grad night, graduation (never missed one in 28 years), Saturday Work Study (no longer at Anaheim), lunch duty, and the list can go on.
Frances understood the importance of excelling beyond expectation and achievements no one expected. Born August 10, 1937, in Mexico City to Enrique Lopez Ramos and Sara Lopez Romero, Frances was nicknamed Puros Ojos meaning “all eyes.”
She had big eyes, but feet so small her mother resorted to buying her doll shoes. She put her size 2 feet to work and put in miles walking the Anaheim High School campus. But what she lacked in feet, she made up in ears. As a child she was also nick named Orejas de Soplador meaning “ears of a blower” (like those that flop and fan others). Her children learned to be cautious about whispering around her because she could her everything even from a distance.
Though the most petite of her family, which included three older sisters, she made up for her size by always being in command. She did not like to be led nor did she like to follow; she enjoyed being the leader and giving guidance.
Frances was educated by nuns at a Catholic boarding school, where she was placed when her mother became a single parent. By age 14, her mother remarried and the family moved to Superior, Arizona, where her stepfather worked long hours in the copper mines to provide the best for his new family. Frances and her sister Martha were enrolled in school in Arizona where they were fully immersed in the English language. Because they didn’t speak English, they were both placed in kindergarten. They quickly mastered the English language and surpassed their classmates.
It wasn’t long after their move to Arizona when the youngest of Frances’ sisters was born and her stepfather passed away, forcing their mother back to work. Frances not only had to go to school and help with the household chores, she also helped care for her younger sister Lucy.
At the age of 17, Frances began working to help her mother financially. She worked at a carrot packing plant where she would get up at 2:00am, so that she could be at work by 3:00am and she would work long 12 hour shifts. She was a hard worker and many times her boss would say to her mother that, “Shorty” was the best that he had working there. Frances and her sister Martha also worked picking cotton in the fields; cleaning houses; and doing all other kinds of odd jobs whether it was ironing, washing clothes, or sewing just to earn money to help their mother. Then to top it off, they still had to go home after working long hours and follow their mother’s orders in regards of chores. One week Frances had to clean the house and Martha had to do the yard work and the following week they would alternate. However, those who knew Frances know that a housekeeper she wasn’t and Martha, her sister, hated to get her hands dirty, so they worked it out so that they would do what they liked best, of course without letting their mother know.
Frances loved the outdoors and she loved working on the yard. Her house was the one with the impeccable yard, lots of flowers, and many well-trimmed trees.
Frances graduated from Phoenix Union High School where she excelled in tennis and academics. She attended the same school that Wayne Newton attended before he was famous. After graduating from high school, Frances worked for Siebert’s Catholic Shop, which sold items to parishes. She did many good things and came up with many good ideas to help make the business she worked at prosper. Frances also worked at Velos & Yolanda, a dance studio in Phoenix, where she made phone calls to recruit dancers.
This is how she met the man who would later become her husband. She made a call, Orlando fell in love with the voice making him want to sign up for lessons, and a short time later, Frances and Orlando were married.
After Frances married, she continued to work at the Catholic shop. However, she soon became pregnant with her first son and became very ill. Her husband was also working and going to school to get his teaching career, but he saw how much she was suffering so he told her to quit her job and that he would work full time and go to school at a later time. That was the wrong thing to tell Frances. She just wouldn’t have it! She told him that he needed to continue going to school to get his degree and that she would tough it out, and indeed she did.
Their first son, Joseph Orlando Martinez, was born on March 17, 1963. Shortly afterwards, their second son followed. Michael Angel Martinez who was born on September 9, 1964. Frances, having two small children, became a stay at home mom. Her husband had earned his teaching degree and took a teaching job in Douglas, Arizona; therefore, he was able to provide for the family without Frances having to work.
During the summer, Frances, her husband, and the children would go to Phoenix and move in with her mother and sister Lucy, so that her husband could further his education and earn his masters degree.
Soon after Frances’ husband earned his masters degree, they packed up and moved to California in the summer of 1968. As her children started to grow up and became less dependent of her because they spent more time at school and other outside activities, Frances once again began looking to work outside the home. She just couldn’t stay put and being indoors was not her thing; how she managed to not work for almost 11 years is surprising.
In 1975, Frances applied for a position at the Anaheim Union High School District and was hired. When Frances first started working for the AUHSD, she worked at Fremont Junior High as a bilingual secretary/community liaison. She was there for four years until Fremont was closed for demolishment.
At that time, she transferred over to Anaheim High School where she dedicated and committed 28 years of service to students, staff, and the people in the community. She was indeed a true Colonist!
Frances was planning to retire on December of 2007 at the age of 70 and, although, she had traveled a lot and had visited almost every state in the United States, except for Hawaii, she still had many plans and goals she wanted to accomplish in life. She had purchased a home in Rio Rico, Arizona, where she hoped to enjoy the last few years of her life close to her family, which consisted of her two sons and her two sisters.
However, the summer of 2007, Frances became very ill. Doctors treated her for pneumonia and told her she could go on her planned trip to Alaska, which she did. Upon her return, she was no better, but Frances was not one to complain so toward the end of August, she resumed her responsibilities at Anaheim when the registration process for the new school year began.
Unfortunately, Frances’ health continued to decline and she was only able to return to Anaheim until the first few days in September. Afterward, she had to take a medical leave of absence until she could get better. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen as Frances continued to get worse and on October of 2007, she was admitted to the hospital. She had no strength and could barely breath, but when she was taken to the emergency room, she didn’t have to wait long to be treated once inside; the receiving doctor was one of her past students.
Of course he was sadden to see her in that condition, but he was determined to find out what was wrong with her. Two days later, Frances was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer that had spread to her lungs. She was given only three to six months to live.
All who knew Frances weren’t surprised she outlived the prediction and fought a brave battle for more than a year and remained strong in faith.
She also held on to her hopes and dreams. She moved into her retirement home in Rio Rico, Arizona, Aug. 10, 2008 (her 71st birthday). There, she enjoyed the last seven months of her life. She spent quality time with her two sons and two sisters. Frances was very grateful to have been given the opportunity to spend her last Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas, and New Years at home and in the company of her loved ones. In the end, when she left us on March 5, 2009, she left peacefully for she was tired, but at the same time very satisfied with her accomplishments in life and the things she had done.
Frances knew she had given the best of herself that she could ever give because of the many lives she had touched and will continue to touch because of the fact that her sons, Joseph and Michael, will continue her legacy today to better the lives of Anaheim High School students. They will do this by means of a yearly scholarship, for two students, that they’ve setup in memory of their mother.
