Rev. Juan Martínez

Reverend Juan Martínez, 94, of West Haven, CT died peacefully on Sunday, July 23, 2023 at Yale-New Haven Hospital, St. Raphael campus with his loving family by his side. He was the beloved husband of Maria R. Orta Martínez.  Rev. Martínez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on July 1, 1929, a son of the late Juan Martínez and the late Esperanza Rodríguez and had resided in West Haven for more than fifty years. He was an ordained Pentecostal Minister and Founding Pastor of Door of Salvation Pentecostal Church (Iglesia Pentecostal Puerta de Salvacíon) of New Haven for the past sixty years. Rev. Martínez received his MBA from the Bible Institute of Latin America-CT, and also taught at the institute. He served on many community boards within the State of Connecticut including the City of New Haven Crossroads Program, Hill Health Center and Latino Youth Development Program.  He had a fifty year relationship with local community and state political leaders, and served as the treasurer of the International Council of Latin American Churches for twenty five years. Rev. Martínez was the founder of New Life Corporation for the City of New Haven, an organization formed to aid communities with financial and tax assistance. He was a co-founder of The Evangelical Spanish Association of New Haven (AMEHNH) which assisted the inner city with low income housing. Rev. Martínez proudly served his country in Korea during the Korean War. In addition to his wife Maria, Rev. Martínez is survived by a daughter, Persida Martínez of New Haven, two sons, Rev. Ariel (Virginia) Martínez of West Haven and Joseph (Patricia) Martínez of North Haven, one sister, Milagros (Santos) Díaz of Humacao, PR, two brothers, Pedro Juan Martínez of South Carolina and Juan Antonio Martínez of NYC, four beloved grandchildren, Elías Martínez, Alexandra Martínez, Jonothan Colón and Priscilla Montalvo, and many loving nieces, nephews, cousins and his beloved spiritual family congregation. He was predeceased by his first wife Persida Sein Martínez, a daughter, Evelyn Colón, two sons, John Martínez and Isaias Martínez, and a sister, Angela Martínez.  A special and heartfelt thank you to all of the doctors and nurses at St. Raphael’s Celentano 4 and St. Raphael’s Hospice Care for all of their truly amazing caring, compassion and love that they gave not only our father, but to our entire family. God bless all of you! Rev. Martínez’s family will receive relatives and friends on Friday, July 28th from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Door of Salvation Pentecostal Church, 3 Arch St., New Haven. A funeral service will begin at 7:00 p.m. A prayer service will take place at the church Saturday, July 29th at 9:00 a.m. Burial with Military Honors will follow in Evergreen Cemetery, New Haven.  The Washington Memorial Funeral Home, 4 Washington Ave., North Haven has been entrusted with arrangements. washingtonmemorialfh.com

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