Goodbye For Now

Efrain Martinez
December 20, 1950 - November 7, 2005

Well as I waking up this afternoon (I work nights now) my sister called and told me the bad news. My uncle Efrain (my moms brother), who has been very sick with liver cancer died lastnight. Id have to say it was kind of a matter of time thing and we knew it was going to happen, but that fact still doesnt lessen the sting. He was a great uncle/father/man/human being. I remember I didnt even know him until we met in Phoenix, AZ when I was 13. There he was a big part of the family, laughing and joking, and making everyone have a good time. Then when I was 15 I went up to Tacoma, WA for the summer and stayed with him and my cousins. He taught me how to do plumbing, and how to relax and listen to jazz. He loved Jazz. I remember going to a place called "Grounds for Coffee" every saturday night and listening to the free live Jazz. I hold those times dear to me. Then when I was 17 and moved up to Tacoma to live, once again Efrain was there to lend a helping hand if he could. He taught me a lot about hard work, and yet that you need to have your downtime. During the day he worked at a rapid pace, and then at night and on the weekend he was laid back. His sense of humor was really great too, naming his own plumbing company "AMEX Plumbing" after the simple fact that it was A MEXican plumbing company. He had that type of humor, the type that made you want to work on your own humor, just to compete.

One thing I am glad for is that the last time I saw him was a happy occasion. Him and his wife (my aunt) came down for my brothers wedding (earliar this year). He did look a bit thinner, but his sense of humor was still very much intact. I remember during the wedding he would be out there dancing almost every song, which showed his personality even more. Im really glad my last memory of him is him dancing and joking, and driving in his rented convertible with his daughter's music blaring.

I'll miss you Uncle.