Lydia Rosa Martinez, 93, died Friday, April 25, 2025, in Santa Maria, after a brief illness.  Lydia was born on September 11, 1931, in Santa Barbara. She grew up the middle child of five and learned at an early age to be self-reliant.  In 1954, she married Tony F. Martinez and moved to Lompoc where they raised their children.  She was married until Tony passed away in 2004.

Lydia loved her church. She was a member of La Purisima Catholic Church for 70 years.  Over the years, she was active as a Catholic Daughter, took communion to the sick as a Eucharistic minister, helped with the Community Kitchen at the Parish Hall, said the rosary at the Comprehensive Care Center, and worked at Catholic Charities.   It was important to her that her children attended La Purisima Catholic School.

Family was paramount to Lydia.  She loved nothing more than having hilarious good times with her three granddaughters.  She enjoyed cooking, sewing, knitting, and was an avid gardener.  She was known on occasion to "borrow" a slip or two from someone's garden to propagate in her own yard.  She was not afraid to tackle any project around her home.  Lydia was passionate about staying fit.  She exercised regularly, jogged, and in her later years, walked for fitness.  She participated in an organized exercise class for 56 years.

Lydia is survived by her daughter, Toni Combs (Marc); son, Robert Martinez (Melody); granddaughters, Kendall Combs, Alyson Beatrice (Derek), Katelyn Combs; great granddaughters Emelia and Lucy Beatrice; brother, Ricardo Chacon (Mary Ellen); numerous nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by her father, Eustacio Chacon; husband, Tony; two brothers, William and Perfecto Chacon; and sister, Lucy Moreno.

A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:00 A.M. Thursday, May 8, at La Purisima Catholic Church, 213 West Olive Avenue, Lompoc.  Burial will follow at Lompoc Evergreen Cemetery.

Donations may be made in memory of Lydia to Friends of the Lompoc Food Pantry, 325 N. 2nd Street, Lompoc, CA 93436, www.feedinglompoc.org