Olga Nereida Ortiz Martinez

Our beloved mother, Olga Nereida Ortiz Martinez passed away at the age of 80, on Sunday, October 13, 2024, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.

She was born on November 3,1943 in Bayamon, Puerto Rico to her parents Pablo Ortiz Rivera and Virginia Diaz Perez. She was raised in Comerio, Puerto Rico as the second youngest of eight siblings. She moved to New York City in the early 1960’s where she met her husband Angel at a dance. They married in Puerto Rico on May 25, 1965.

As a military wife, she moved often and held a variety of jobs while at the same time raising her two daughters, Angela and Jessica. She was very proud of earning her bachelor’s degree in social work in 1991 from Caribbean University and helping many people through her work as a school social worker in Ponce, Puerto Rico and as a Case Manager at Peace River Center in Lakeland, Florida.

She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Angel Luis Martinez Alvarado; daughters Angela (John) Foley, of Arizona, and Jessica (David) Allen, of Virginia; grandchildren Erica Allen, Andrew Allen (Muriel), Sarah Foley, Ellen Murphy (Jordan), and Aaron Foley (Gabby); and great granddaughter Charlotte Murphy.

Olga was a fierce and feisty woman - holding fast to her beliefs, defending those she loved, and always trying to be a better person. She was short in stature, but oh so big in heart.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 26, 2024, beginning at 11am at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints located at 1839 Gibsonia Galloway Rd, Lakeland FL, 33810. In honor of Olga’s love of color and prints, black attire is optional.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Bedrock Rehabilitation and Nursing Center at Wedgewood Activities fund at https://gofund.me/583164d2 or the Alzheimer’s Dementia and Research Center at Donate to ADRC - Alzheimer's & Dementia Resource Center (adrccares.org)