Maryann Martinez Flores passed away peacefully, surrounded by the family she loved so deeply. In those last moments, she was right where she had spent so much of her life with her family.

Maryann was a woman who lived life with strength, passion, determination, and a whole lot of personality. She loved hard, laughed loud, had an opinion on just about everything, and if you ever spent much time around her, you probably knew exactly where she stood. But underneath that toughness was a heart that loved her family and friends more deeply than words can express.

Maryann was born to Joe and Janice Martinez on November 25, 1957, in Roby, Texas. She married the love of her life, Alex Flores, on May 13, 1978. Together, they built a life centered around family, hard work, laughter, sports, making memories, and showing up for the people they loved.

Maryann was a devoted wife, mother, grandma, great-grandma, sister, aunt, and friend. She was the proud mother of her son, James, and his wife, Jessica; her daughter, Natassia, and her husband, Mandito; and her “bonus” daughter, Michelle, and her husband, Rick, and daughter, Audie.

Few things brought Maryann more joy than her grandchildren. She was incredibly proud of her grandsons, Zac, Hoss, Zaavan, and Zade, and her granddaughters, Zoe and her husband, Tyler Warner, Mariah, and Chelsey. Her family continued to grow with the addition of her precious great-grandchildren, Malakhi, Ly’ Zellie, and Blakely Jo.

Maryann is also survived by her three brothers and six sisters: Jesse and Rosa Martinez of Rotan; Randy and Rachel Martinez of Santa Barbara, California; Ronnie and Leanne Martinez of Rotan; Linda Holt of Lubbock; Rosemary Carrillo of Rotan; Irene and Alonzo Lujan of Rotan; Jean and Santos Flores of Rotan; Joann and Rudy Yanez of Rotan; and Pat and Val Morin of Rotan.

If her children or grandchildren were competing in something, there was a pretty good chance Maryann was there, and there was an even better chance you could hear her. She loved sports of every kind, especially when her children and grandchildren were the ones playing. Softball, baseball, football, basketball, track, tennis, really didn’t matter. If one of her kids or grandkids was on the field, court, or track, she wanted to be there. She rarely missed a game and was often one of the loudest people in the stands. Sports were more than something Maryann watched; they were part of who she was. She loved softball and was quite an athlete herself. In fact, Maryann earned a special place in local softball history as the first woman to ever hit a home run in the Rotan Co-Ed Softball Tournament. It was an accomplishment made even more impressive because of the era in which she played. The bats and softballs weren’t what they are today. Women stepped into the box using the same equipment and hitting the same ball as the men, and Maryann still sent one over the fence. Her nephew Trey and sister Jean both described the homerun as something you just had to see. Trey said his Aunt Maryann was one of the main reasons he fell in love with slow-pitch softball. That story fits her pretty well. She was tough. She was competitive. And she wasn’t afraid of a challenge.

Maryann was also an avid Texas Longhorns fan. She loved the Longhorns, but she especially loved watching Cat Osterman, and the Lady Longhorns play softball. And whenever the U.S. Olympic Softball Team took the field, Maryann was watching. Olympic softball was something she looked forward to every time it came around.

Away from the ballfields and television, Maryann loved being outdoors. She enjoyed trips to the lake, traveling, exploring new places, and simply just being outside. One of the highlights of her travels was her dream trip to France and Germany with Alex and Michelle, which she was planning another trip this next summer.

She also dreamed of Montana and often talked about wanting to live there someday. Something about the mountains, the open country, and the beauty of Montana always captured her heart.

And then there was Maryann’s personality. She was rarely the quietest person in the room. She was strong-willed, outspoken, funny, opinionated, and never afraid to tell you exactly what she thought. Sometimes her opinion was exactly what you wanted to hear; and sometimes it wasn’t. But one thing you never had to question was whether Maryann cared. Because as strong as her opinions could be, her love was even stronger. She loved her people hard. She loved her husband. She loved her children. She loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.She loved her brothers and sisters, her nieces and nephews, her extended family, and the countless people whose lives became connected to her through the years.

Maryann carried tremendous love for her mother and father, Joe, and Janice Martinez, and for her niece, Alethea Flores. There is comfort in knowing that she is now reunited with the loved ones who went before her. She is also reunited with her In-laws Simon and Ernestina Flores, her longtime brothers-in-law, Reynaldo (Rey) and Eliceo (Cheo) Flores, Glen Holt and Paul Carrillo Jr, and her niece, Stonie “Gabby” Carrillo.

Maryann’s life cannot simply be measured by dates or accomplishments. Her life is measured in ballgames attended, a familiar voice heard from the stands, lake trips, family gatherings, laughter, even arguments and opinions, stories told over and over again, hugs, phone calls, and the countless times she simply showed up. Because that is what Maryann did. She showed up. If her family needed her, she was there. If there was a game, she was there. If somebody needed someone in their corner, she was there. She may have been tough on the outside, but she possessed a tremendous capacity to love. Those fortunate enough to be loved by Maryann knew they were loved fiercely. Her family will miss her voice. They will miss her opinions. They will miss hearing her cheer from the stands. They will miss talking softball with her. They will miss the stories, the laughter, the toughness, and even those moments when she made sure everyone knew exactly what she thought. Most of all, they will miss her presence. But the love Maryann gave her family did not end when her life on this earth ended. It remains in every child, grandchild, and great-grandchild she influenced. It lives on in every story that will continue to be told, every memory that brings a smile, and every time the family gathers around a ballfield, and someone remembers the woman who never wanted to miss a game.

There will be a Rosary for Maryann on Friday, August 28, 2026 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Weathersbee-Ray Funeral Home in Rotan. Services will be 1:00 pm on Saturday, August 29, 2026 at the St. Joseph Catholic Church followed by burial in El Ranchito.

Maryann lived strong. She competed hard. She spoke her mind. But most importantly, she loved her family fiercely. Maryann leaves behind a family who will forever be grateful that they got to call her wife, Mom, Grandma, Ma, Great-Grandma, sister, aunt, and friend.