June 15, 1958, Debra Louise Jackson was born to Kenneth and Beverly Jackson of Denver, Colorado. Beverly was at the racetrack when her water broke. Not long after, Debbie was born. She was the first child to Ken & Bev. A few years later, the arrival of her little sister Tonilyn Jackson (Madrid) as with any siblings, she couldn’t wait to love her little sister and/or torment her. 

Debbie always described her childhood as a storybook. The family enjoyed many vacations to California and weekend camping trips. Her mother stayed home to raise her and Toni, while her daddy was always hard at work. They literally had a white picket fence. She lived a block away from her grandparents, George and Marie Jackson, which made it easy to go get a grandparent fix. Debra would often say the neighborhood kids were terrified of her mother. Debbie said, “If she wasn’t home on time, her mom would be outside waiting with a switch in hand.” This would leave the neighborhood kids afraid of Ms. Jackson. Debra often had stories to tell about her childhood friends; Linda, Paulette, and Sandy, to name a few.

In the mid-70s, the Jackson family decided to pack up and move to Southeastern Colorado, where Debra’s uncle Dave and Aunt Dolores (Dodo) DiRezza had moved several months before. Leaving the hustle and bustle of big city living was a big change for Debbie. She was in high school and adapted well. 

Living in their new home being right behind Klein’s grocery store, at the time. She recalls seeing a tall, dark, and handsome gentleman hanging out the back door of the mom & pop store. She would talk about it being love at first site. The guy hanging out that back door was Anthony.They would go on to Wed, and have 3 children together; Anthony (Chico), Angela, and Crystal. Later, the couple enjoyed their blended family with the additions of Sonya Ryne and Nichlos. Debra loved these children like they were her own. Debra made it easy to be loved by her. She was truly a loving soul. No matter where you came from, she was accepting of who you were. 

As time went by, her children started having babies. Debra absolutely loved her grandbabies. Debra’s grandchildren (Thomas, Jude, Azadian, Sicily, Sophia, Armani, Alissa, Bianca, Elijah E., Trinity, Gabby, LeAnna, Destinie, Ariana and Gabe) were her world. Debra would say, “I’ve been waiting for this my entire life.”… Being a grandma was a life-long dream of hers, since she was a child…She was great at it! As any of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren (Kailani and Elijah Daniel) would express and confirm.

Debra is proceeded in death by her maternal grandparents, Nero DiRezza, Alice DiRezza (Struwe), her paternal grandparents, George Jackson, Marie Jackson (Fletcher), her in-laws Marcel Martinez, Emma Martinez (Fernandez), her mother Beverly Jackson (DiRezza), her step-daughter Sonya Ryne Beatriz Romero (Guerrero), brother-in-law Pedro Madrid, and her son-in-law Brian Vigil. 

She is survived by her husband, Anthony L. Martinez, Sr., her father Kenneth D. Jackson, her sister Tonilyn Madrid, biological children; Anthony L. Martinez, Jr., Angela L. Martinez, and Crystal L. Martinez. Her step-son, Nichlos Martinez, and her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.