Ebe Rita (Chiocciora) Martinez

Ebe Rita Chiocciora Martinez, 94, of San Carlos, San Mateo County, California, passed away due to congestive heart failure on March 29, 2025.

Ebe was born, the eldest of two daughters, in the Village of Bozzano, Lucca County, Italy, on February 19, 1931 to Pio Chiocciora and Palmira (Di Pietro) Chiocciora. At the age of one, she moved with her family to Ogden, Utah where her father secured employment with Union Pacific Railroad. After a short time, other family members encouraged the family to relocate to San Francisco, California, where better paying railroad jobs were plentiful with weather more similar to their homeland of Italy.

Ebe loved growing up in the North Beach section of San Francisco and although the steep hills made it impossible for her to learn to ride a bike, she found plenty of other great things to do to keep her happy. She and her only sister Lida, who doubled as her best friend, attended Galileo High School where Ebe met the best athlete in school and soon they we dating.

Roy Martinez loved sports and he also loved Ebe. After their high school graduation and Roy's military service, the two were married on June 15, 1952 in San Francisco, California.Ebe and Roy made their home in South San Francisco and later moved to their lifetime home in nearby San Carlos.

Their home was blessed with three children - Patti, David and Carrie, as well as several loved family pets. Her black poodle Shadow was by her side to the very end. In addition to being a mother and homemaker, Ebe had a career as an executive assistant for several different Bay Area organizations and worked into her late 80's as a volunteer for the world renowned Filoli Estate and for the American Cancer Association. She also loved her job as grandmother and great grandmother. She always had time and gifts for each one and they were all very special to her.

In 2024 she chose to move to Idaho Falls, Idaho, in order to live at Fairwinds Assisted Living, which was near her daughter Carrie's home. This allowed her to see and experience a new part of the country and even spend a winter in the snow.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Fairwinds for their kind and thoughtful care of Ebe, as well as the medical staff at Bingham Memorial and Solace Hospice Care.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy Martinez; parents, Pio and Palmira Chiocciora; and sister, Lida Chiocciora.

Ebe is survived by her children, Patti (Danny) Humerich, David (Cathy) Martinez, and Carrie (John) Heer; 7 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Services and burial will take place in the San Francisco Bay Area on a date still to be determined.