Roxana Jean Martinec, 90, of Spring Hill, Tennessee, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, August 18th, with her loved ones by her side. 

Roxana Jean (Behrendt) Martinec was born on August 9th, 1936, in Toledo, Ohio, to Luther and Jean Behrendt. After graduating from high school in 1956, she went to work at Pogue's, the grand department store in Cincinnati, Ohio, and worked her way up from window dresser to area manager of the Dresses & Coats department — a climb few young women made in the 1950s. 

A family move brought her to Kalamazoo, Michigan, where she became office manager at Kal Air airport. Along with running the office, she handled ground-to-air communications with the private pilots.

She was blessed to marry the love of her life, Don L. Martinec, and together they made their home in Rochester Hills, Michigan, for more than twenty-five years. It was there that they raised their children, and there that the family always came back to gather. 

After they retired, she and Don traded Michigan winters for Florida sunshine and settled in Lady Lake, where they spent many happy years together. After Don's passing, Roxana moved to Spring Hill, Tennessee, to be closer to family — which was, as always, exactly where she wanted to be. 

Roxana was also an accomplished artist. Acrylics were her favorite medium, and her beautiful paintings graced every room of every home she made. Wherever she lived, she filled it with color. 

Of all the roles she held, the ones she treasured most were mom, grandmother, and great-grandmother. If you asked her what her favorite thing to do was, the answer never changed: “time with family.” In her younger days she played a good game of golf and racquetball, and she was a formidable hand at gin rummy and poker. She was a lifelong reader, and her weekly trip to the Spring Hill library — five books checked out at a time, or an armful of dollar paperbacks — made her perfectly happy. 

Roxana is preceded in death by her husband, Don L. Martinec; her parents, Luther and Jean Behrendt; her sister, Sandy Evans; her brother-in-law, John Evans; and her father-in-law and mother-in-law, John and Elizabeth Martinec. 

She is survived by her daughter, Patty Stoney (Mark), and her son, Matthew Martinec (Andrea); her grandchildren, Kyle (Anne Lewis), Jacob (Sara Kate), Mason, Austin, and Madison; her great-grandson, Simmons Stoney; her brother, Hank (Nancy); her brother-in-law, Rick (Diane); and many nieces, nephews, and cherished friends. 

She leaves behind a family shaped by her warmth, her humor, and her steady belief that there was nothing better in this world than being together. 

A private family celebration of Roxana’s life will be held in September. 

Memorials may be given to the Alzheimer’s Association or to Accent Hospice of Spring Hill.