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Martinez was born in Milford in Worcester County in southern [[Massachusetts]]. She graduated from St. Mary's Academy there and then Hunter College]in [[New York City]]. During [[World War II]], she was a [[lieutenant]] in the [[United States Navy]] WAVES. In 1946, after her marriage to Reginald V. Martinez, Jr. (1922–2006), she relocated to New Orleans, where her family resided until 1977, when the Martinezes moved to the nearby [[suburb]] of Kenner in Jefferson Parish.<ref name=obit/>​

Martinez was born in Milford in Worcester County in southern [[Massachusetts]]. She graduated from St. Mary's Academy there and then Hunter College]in [[New York City]]. During [[World War II]], she was a [[lieutenant]] in the [[United States Navy]] WAVES. In 1946, after her marriage to Reginald V. Martinez, Jr. (1922–2006), she relocated to New Orleans, where her family resided until 1977, when the Martinezes moved to the nearby [[suburb]] of Kenner in Jefferson Parish.<ref name=obit/>​

 

Martinez became active in the Republican Party during the 1971-1972 gubernatorial election, when she, along with state party chairman [[Charles and Virginia de Gravelles| Charles de Gravelles]] of [[Lafayette]] and his wife, [[Charles and Virginia de Gravelles|Virginia de Gravelles]], organized on behalf of Republican nominee [[David C. Treen]], then of Metairie in Jefferson Parish. Treen, only the second Republican since [[Reconstruction]] to make a serious bid for governor, was defeated in that election cycle but won the governorship eight years later in 1979. She later worked to elect William Henson Moore, of [[Baton Rouge]] and [[Bob Livingston]] of suburban New Orleans to the [[United States House of Representatives]]. Martinez was the founding president of the Lakefront Republican Women's Club and held membership in similar organizations in New Orleans and Kenner. She was a member of the Capitol Hill Club in Washington and the City Club in New Orleans. In addition, she was a former vice president of the Louisiana Federation of Republican Women, a political support group founded in 1953. She was the treasurer of the [[Republican National Convention]]s which met in 1980 in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]], and in [[Dallas]], [[Texas]] in 1984.<ref name=obit/>​

Martinez became active in the Republican Party during the 1971-1972 gubernatorial election, when she, along with state party chairman [[Charles and Virginia de Gravelles| Charles de Gravelles]] of [[Lafayette]] and his wife, [[Charles and Virginia de Gravelles|Virginia de Gravelles]], organized on behalf of Republican nominee [[David C. Treen]], then of Metairie in Jefferson Parish. Treen, only the second Republican since [[Reconstruction]] to make a serious bid for governor, was defeated in that election cycle but won the governorship eight years later in 1979. She later worked to elect William Henson Moore, of [[Baton Rouge]] and [[Bob Livingston]] of suburban New Orleans to the [[United States House of Representatives]]. Martinez was the founding president of the Lakefront Republican Women's Club and held membership in similar organizations in New Orleans and Kenner. She was a member of the Capitol Hill Club in Washington and the City Club in New Orleans. In addition, she was a former vice president of the Louisiana Federation of Republican Women, a political support group founded in 1953. She was the treasurer of the [[Republican National Convention]]s which met in 1980 in [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]], and in [[Dallas]], [[Texas]] in 1984.<ref name=obit/>​

From 1984 until her death of cancer at the age of sixty-nine in Southern Baptist Hospital of New Orleans, Martinez served as a director of St. Jude's Children's Hospital in [[Memphis]], [[Tennessee]].  She is interred at the Lake Lawn Mausoleum in New Orleans.<ref name=obit/>​

From 1984 until her death of cancer at the age of sixty-nine in Southern Baptist Hospital of New Orleans, Martinez served as a director of St. Jude's Children's Hospital in [[Memphis]], [[Tennessee]].  She is interred at the Lake Lawn Mausoleum in New Orleans.<ref name=obit/>

 

===Recognition===​

==Recognition==​

In 1991, the Louisiana Federation of Republican Women established the "Ginny Martinez Scholarship Award" to honor her work in encouraging young women to enter government service.<ref>[http://www.nfrw.org/statefederations/louisiana.htm National Federation of Republican Women<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>​

In 1991, the Louisiana Federation of Republican Women established the "Ginny Martinez Scholarship Award" to honor her work in encouraging young women to enter government service.<ref>[http://www.nfrw.org/statefederations/louisiana.htm National Federation of Republican Women<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>​

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In 1994, Martinez was among the first nine inductees, along with [[Mary Evelyn Parker]] and [[Virginia Shehee]], into the Louisiana Center for Women and Government Hall of Fame at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nicholls.edu/lcwg/hall-of-fame/past-inductees/|title=Louisiana Center for Women and Government – Past Inductees|publisher=Nicholls.edu|accessdate=September 6, 2009}}</ref>​

In 1994, Martinez was among the first nine inductees, along with state Treasurer [[Mary Evelyn Parker]] and former state Senator [[Virginia Shehee]], into the Louisiana Center for Women and Government Hall of Fame at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nicholls.edu/lcwg/hall-of-fame/past-inductees/|title=Louisiana Center for Women and Government – Past Inductees|publisher=Nicholls.edu|accessdate=September 6, 2009}}</ref>​

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==References==​

==References==

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