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Maria Cano Martinez memorial scrapbook, 1976-2005

""Hospitals mourn popular staff member""

[handwritten:] August 1983

[news photocopy with picture of MARTINEZ:]
Deaths

Mary G. Martinez

   Mary G. Martinez, 58, of 1207 Marcy Street, who was for many years an interpreter for University Hospital, died today at University Hospital after a long illness.
   Mass will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Saint Patrick's Catholic Church with the Reverend Eugene Benda officiating. Burial will be at Saint Joseph's Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Donohue-lensing Mortuary where a rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Tuesday. In lieu of flowers, friends may contribute to the Maria Cano Scholarship Award at the University of Iowa Foundation. 
   Mrs. Martinez was born May 10, 1925, in Guanagato, Mexico, a daughter of Magdaleno and Maria (Rodriguez) Cano. She married Joe Martinez September 12, 1953, in Iowa City.
   She was a 1945 graduate of Saint Patrick's High School and graduated from Brown's Secretarial School. She had attended University of Iowa.
   She was a long-time employee of University Hospital. For the past six years she was an interpreter for Hispanic families, and in March 1983 she received an award for her work from the University Hospital's Interpreter's Services. She also worked in the Social Services office at the hospital for many years.
   She was a member of Saint Patrick's Catholic Church, the LULAC, and the NAACP.
   Survivors include her husband; her parents of Iowa City; three sons, Joseph, Mark and Robert, all of Iowa City; three brothers, Arthur of Darien, Illinois, Robert of Aurora, Illinois, and Vincent of Iowa City; and five sisters, Elena (Mrs. Fidel) Murillo, Josephine (Mrs. John) Arenas and Rosemary (Mrs. Edward) Gorman, all of Cedar Rapids, Delores (Mrs. Thomas) Neuzil of Roseburg, Oregon, and Mollie (Mrs. Joe) Rivera of Moline, Illinois.

[another news photocopy:]
Hospitals mourn popular staff member
  
IOWA CITY -- The flag over Old Capitol flew at half-mast Monday in memory of Mary Martinez, a Spanish-language interpreter at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
   Martinez, who lived at 1207 Marcy Street, Iowa City, died Monday at University Hospitals of cancer. She was 58.
   "Mary had a love for people and a special interest in serving the Hispanic patients at 

Obituary on page 10A

University Hospitals," said John Colloton, the hospital's director. "I think that was because Mary wanted very much for everyone to feel as comfortable as possible in the hospital environment. That is why she took the lead in establishing a language interpretation service and having our patient information brochures published in Spanish.
   "She was the catalyst in developing personalized services for our Spanish-speaking patients, and we are all grateful to her."
   Martinez began working for the University of Iowa in 1958 as a secretary. When the hospital's department of social services formally organized its interpreter service in 1975, Martinez was the service's one and only interpreter. Now, there are two full-time and two part-time interpreters who have assisted more than 6,000 patients, families and visitors in overcoming language barriers.
   "She was a long-term champion of humanizing the treatment of Hispanic patients," said Jay Cayner, director of the hospitals' social services department. "She will be missed."
   Ozzie Diaz-Duque, a hospital interpreter who had worked with Martinez since 1976, said Monday his colleague "was more of a friend to everyone than just another hospital worker."
   "She had this attitude that these people weren't coming to a hospital, but coming to her own home," he said. "Many times they did. She'd put them up in her home when it was necessary.
   "She knew everybody's first name and the names of their children and grandchildren. She had a whole billboard of photos of kids whose deliveries she was involved in. She was everybody's mother, aunt, sister and counselor. It's a great loss."

Saving...

[handwritten:] August 1983 [news photocopy with picture of MARTINEZ:] Deaths Mary G. Martinez Mary G. Martinez, 58, of 1207 Marcy Street, who was for many years an interpreter for University Hospital, died today at University Hospital after a long illness. Mass will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Saint Patrick's Catholic Church with the Reverend Eugene Benda officiating. Burial will be at Saint Joseph's Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Donohue-lensing Mortuary where a rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Tuesday. In lieu of flowers, friends may contribute to the Maria Cano Scholarship Award at the University of Iowa Foundation. Mrs. Martinez was born May 10, 1925, in Guanagato, Mexico, a daughter of Magdaleno and Maria (Rodriguez) Cano. She married Joe Martinez September 12, 1953, in Iowa City. She was a 1945 graduate of Saint Patrick's High School and graduated from Brown's Secretarial School. She had attended University of Iowa. She was a long-time employee of University Hospital. For the past six years she was an interpreter for Hispanic families, and in March 1983 she received an award for her work from the University Hospital's Interpreter's Services. She also worked in the Social Services office at the hospital for many years. She was a member of Saint Patrick's Catholic Church, the LULAC, and the NAACP. Survivors include her husband; her parents of Iowa City; three sons, Joseph, Mark and Robert, all of Iowa City; three brothers, Arthur of Darien, Illinois, Robert of Aurora, Illinois, and Vincent of Iowa City; and five sisters, Elena (Mrs. Fidel) Murillo, Josephine (Mrs. John) Arenas and Rosemary (Mrs. Edward) Gorman, all of Cedar Rapids, Delores (Mrs. Thomas) Neuzil of Roseburg, Oregon, and Mollie (Mrs. Joe) Rivera of Moline, Illinois. [another news photocopy:] Hospitals mourn popular staff member IOWA CITY -- The flag over Old Capitol flew at half-mast Monday in memory of Mary Martinez, a Spanish-language interpreter at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Martinez, who lived at 1207 Marcy Street, Iowa City, died Monday at University Hospitals of cancer. She was 58. "Mary had a love for people and a special interest in serving the Hispanic patients at Obituary on page 10A University Hospitals," said John Colloton, the hospital's director. "I think that was because Mary wanted very much for everyone to feel as comfortable as possible in the hospital environment. That is why she took the lead in establishing a language interpretation service and having our patient information brochures published in Spanish. "She was the catalyst in developing personalized services for our Spanish-speaking patients, and we are all grateful to her." Martinez began working for the University of Iowa in 1958 as a secretary. When the hospital's department of social services formally organized its interpreter service in 1975, Martinez was the service's one and only interpreter. Now, there are two full-time and two part-time interpreters who have assisted more than 6,000 patients, families and visitors in overcoming language barriers. "She was a long-term champion of humanizing the treatment of Hispanic patients," said Jay Cayner, director of the hospitals' social services department. "She will be missed." Ozzie Diaz-Duque, a hospital interpreter who had worked with Martinez since 1976, said Monday his colleague "was more of a friend to everyone than just another hospital worker." "She had this attitude that these people weren't coming to a hospital, but coming to her own home," he said. "Many times they did. She'd put them up in her home when it was necessary. "She knew everybody's first name and the names of their children and grandchildren. She had a whole billboard of photos of kids whose deliveries she was involved in. She was everybody's mother, aunt, sister and counselor. It's a great loss."