Jacobo "Jacob" Martinez

Jacobo "Jacob" Martinez, 53, passed away on Saturday, August 21, 2021, at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen. Jacob was born in McAllen on December 1, 1967. Maria McKay, Jacob's grandmother, raised him with love in Alamo, Texas. Jacob graduated from Donna High School in 1986, where he was active in baseball for the Donna Redskins. After graduating from high school, Jacob went to simultaneously work for Whataburger and the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Department while attending Pan American University. It was through a close friend, Melissa, that Elisa and Jacob would meet for the first time and fall in love. They were soulmates and the rest, as they say, is history.

Jacob and Elisa were inseparable and became husband and wife in February of 1995. Jacob opened JMT Transport Company, and they had a son, Servando Ezequiel Martinez-Peña, fondly referred to as Z-Man by mom and friends. Jacob, Elisa, and Servando were a very close family. They spent most of their time together as a loving Christian family and enjoyed spending time with their church family and friends at the Bridge Avenue Church of Christ in Weslaco.

Jacob retired in 2009 to spend more time with Servando and Elisa. Jacob was the family cook, and he enjoyed every minute of it. Jacob seemed to be a master of the grill and could make just about anything mouthwatering. Jacob was a creative chef and could always make a delicious meal with any ingredients available.

Jacob was a jack of all trades. He could fix just about anything and was always up to a challenge. Jacob was an outdoorsman and enjoyed fishing, golfing, and nature. Jacob never met a stranger that he couldn’t strike up a conversation with. He was loving, kind-hearted, generous, and most of all, a selfless man whose priority was to take care of his family. Jacob strongly believed in being kind to those who were unkind because they needed kindness and love more so than anyone else. Most importantly, Jacob was a child of God and knew his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and he instilled this in his son, Servando.

Jacob is preceded in death by his grandmother, Maria McKay. He is survived by his loving wife of twenty-six years, Elisa, and his son, Servando Ezequiel Martinez Peña.

Graveside service will be held on Monday, August 30, at Highland Memorial Park in Weslaco.