Sophia Grace Martinez

Our beautiful daughter, Sophia Grace Martinez, 5, passed away Thursday, November 24, 2011, at a hospital in Houston. Her mother and father were with her when she lost her four-month battle with a rare form of ovarian cancer. During her illness Sophia taught us a great deal about courage, strength, love and faith. Not once did she complain about her illness; not once did she question why she fell ill. Sophia never gave up hope she would get better. She was our shining light and the center of our lives and she has left a huge void that will never be filled. Our lives are lessened with her absence but we take comfort in knowing that she is no longer in pain and can once again rest comfortably. She always wanted to be a fairy and fly to the stars and we know she is soaring in the heavens. Sophia was born on March 3, 2006, in Tucson. She shared a birth date with her mother. That bond only got stronger during her life. Rarely did you see Sophia without her mom. They played endless games of make-believe and hide and seek and were constant companions. She also loved spending time with her father and went on many outings with him: To the Tucson Children's Museum, the zoo, and to the parks and library near our home. Sophia was our only child and relished the constant attention of her parents. She was our miracle baby, being born at a time when we thought we'd never have children. She was the child who turned us from a couple to a family, who turned our house into a home and our lives into a celebration. We were privileged to be her parents. Sophia had many activities and interests in her life: She studied dance and ballet and performed in several recitals, she played three seasons of soccer, was part of a cheer squad and learned to swim like a fish. She began studying how to play the piano and performed at her first recital just weeks before her illness was diagnosed. She loved going to Disneyland and to San Diego. She rode the "Polar Express" train near Flagstaff several times and danced the hula in Hawaii. She attended Mass and religious education classes at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church. She attended Light the Way and Daisy Early Learning preschools and was scheduled to begin kindergarten when she became ill. Sophia is survived by her father and mother, James and Mary Martinez of Tucson; her tata and nana, Hector and Matilda Martinez of El Paso; uncle, Anthony and aunt, Cynthia Martinez and cousins, Nathanuel and Matthew Martinez, all of Phoenix. Also survived by uncles, John, Daniel and Robert Lindbloom and their families and aunts, Patricia Gullett and Kathy Durr and their families. Sophia is also survived by relatives in El Paso. She will be missed by many neighbors and close friends, including her buddies Mollie, Hudson, Karen and Matthew. EVERGREEN MORTUARY, 3015 N. Oracle Road, is handling the arrangements. Visitation is planned from 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., with a Rosary recited at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, December 1, 2011 at the Mortuary Chapel. A Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. Friday, December 2, 2011 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 8650 N. Shannon Road. A private burial will follow. As we say our goodbyes to our precious daughter, we would like to thank the doctors, nurses and staff at University Medical Center's pediatric oncology unit and especially the nurses and staff at UMC's Diamond 6 west unit for caring for Sophia with dignity, respect and love. We would also like to thank the many friends and neighbors who have helped us through this terrible time with their kind deeds and words.