Jeannie Lou Martinez

Jeannie Lou (Sloan) Martinez , aged 62 of Denver, Colorado passed away peacefully in her sleep on April 15, 2026, surrounded by her beloved pets.

Born on April 5, 1964 at Porter Hospital in Denver to Marvin & Margaret Sloan, Jeannie was best known for her passion for the medical field, her love of travel, her dog Artie, Siamese cats, and most notably her tenacious warrior spirit. Jeannie was a straight A student, and graduated from Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC. Her time in the south gave her a deep appreciation for Southern cuisine and was an avid fan of hot sauces.

She later worked as a nurse in the ER at Presbyterian St. Luke's in Denver before becoming an EMT with the Denver Paramedic Division in 1996. In her later years, she began working with Denver CARES and drove the detox van with her two closest partners Lem Tyars and Allison Givens. As one of the last Career Service EMT’s, her mentorship and training of new EMT’s on the CARES van became her most memorable role. Jeannie was known for establishing a genuine connection with her patients and would offer them food anytime she had the chance.

Jeannie had worked hard her entire life, starting at the nursing home next door to her childhood home as a pre-teen. She was an avid traveler, loved going on cruises, various beaches throughout Mexico, and most notably fell in love with Alaska. She loved the water, would go swimming, jet skiing, and could always be found in a hot tub. She loved horseback riding, country music, and shared her love of the Backstreet Boys with her daughter Tiffany.

Jeannie beat stage 4 ovarian cancer despite all medical odds three years ago, which can very much be attributed to the incredible amount of strength and determination that she possessed. Statistically speaking, that should have been a death sentence, but she overcame cancer and was in remission until her final day.

Jeannie is survived by her husband Joseph Martinez of 21 years, brother Marvin Sloan, children Zachary Navarro, Tiffany Navarro, and grandchildren Zaraylea Navarro, Seanesty Rodriguez, and great-granddaughter Noveah Nelson. She was preceded in death by her parents Marvin and Margaret. She spoke often of how much she missed her mother Margaret and is happily reunited with her in heaven.

She will be remembered fondly for her dry sense of medical humor, RBF, and unfathomable thoughtfulness and generosity.

Jeannie’s Memorial will be held on Friday, May 15th at 11:00 AM at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 3101 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood, followed by her burial and her final resting place at Fort Logan National Cemetery at 12:30 PM.

In lieu of flowers, please feel free to share stories about your time with her in her obituary. Your memories and experiences with her are invaluable and will be deeply cherished by her family.

“At the hour of death when we come face-to-face with God, we are going to be judged on love; not how much we have done, but how much love we put into the doing.” - Mother Teresa