Raymond Joseph Martinez Jr. (1945-2020)

Raymond J. (Butch) Martinez Jr., of North Reading, MA, died April 11, 2020 at Blueberry Hill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Beverly, MA, following several years of declining health.

Born on December 13, 1945, in Everett, MA, Butch was the son of the late Agnes (Nowak) Martinez and Raymond J. Martinez. He attended Everett schools and graduated from Everett Vocational High School. Initially working in the plumbing field, Butch later found his true calling as a Policeman. He ended his career as a Police officer for the City of Somerville, MA, retiring with a disability after 22 years of service. While in good health, he enjoyed body building, stamp collecting and especially, travel. He sought out paternal relatives in Colorado and maternal relatives in Poland. A Norway to Poland road trip, with cousins Marianne and Frances in pre-GPS days, left many amusing memories.

Although his detective work did not lack excitement, Butch also travelled with his cousin Paul in then Communist Poland and they managed to reach destinations despite neither speaking Polish. A drive through rural Sweden also left a lasting impression.

In his late sixties Butch was infected with Lyme Disease, initially undiagnosed and from this he never fully recovered. He continued to enjoy the outdoors, the heavily treed privacy of his home in North Reading but his overall health began to decline. He was a companion and support to his late mother until her death in 2017, after which his own health rapidly deteriorated. Butch is survived by sisters Donna Rae Logan and Loretta Martinez of North Reading MA and Linda Woodin of Durham, North Carolina. He is also survived by cousins Paul Nowak of Tyngsboro MA, Richard Nowak of Salem NH, Joanne Lemay of Mashpee MA, Frances Nowak and Marianne Staid of Lowell MA, Stanley Nowak of Barnstable MA, Richard Tufenkjian of Belmont MA, Marianne Morton of Amherst, NH and Leo Paradis of Chelmsford, MA.

Butch had the brusque manner and “tough” speech not unusual after years in police work, but he was a soft touch; kind and generous to friends and family. He will be missed.