Emerietta Hanson Martinez

Emerietta Hanson Martinez

Nov. 30, 1947 – Sept. 10, 2020

Emerietta Hanson Martinez, 72, of Billings passed away Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020, at RiverStone Health Hospice Home in Billings following a courageous two-year cancer battle. 

Emerietta Hanson was born on Nov. 30, 1947, in Greybull, the daughter of James “Emery” Hanson and Edna (Bellamy) Hanson. 

She attended Lovell High School, where her bubbly personality gained her many friends. She was a majorette.

On June 3, 1965, Emerietta and Gordon Hulbert were married. The couple made their home in Casper, then Sheridan and finally settled in Rapid City. From their marriage two children were born, Marnie Jo and Martin James.

Emerietta continued her education at the National College of Business in Rapid City while also being a single parent and working as many as three jobs at a time to support her family. She was a hard worker and a skilled bartender with regulars that loved her at Romans, The Brass Rail and The Red Lion. 

Emerietta lived in Rapid City until she married Arthur Martinez on Feb. 18, 1989, when the couple moved to Billings. Emerietta then began a career at the Yellowstone County Detention Facility as a jailer until 2001 when her husband’s health was failing. She devoted her time to being by his side until his death in 2002. Emerietta continued to make her home in Billings until her passing, living there for more than 31 years.

Emerietta was one of a kind, a true special gem. You will never meet another person like her. You will never meet someone with as big of a heart, who was as generous, selfless, protective and devoted and who had better intuition or could find out what you were really up to more than she. 

She was a giver. She had pure talent for finding anything anyone needed, and if it was an item, it was always at a great price. She was always thinking of others and keeping her eyes open for the perfect gift for anyone she knew and often people she had never met but had heard they needed something. 

She was fearless and always willing to try anything, that is, as long as it wasn’t early in the morning. She wasn’t a morning person. But if you needed someone at midnight she was the one to call. 

She loved her sleep, desserts, boat rides, the Big Horn Mountains, trains, designer purses and shoes that most have never even heard of (but always at a great price), Elvis, blackjack and her little dog Bud. 

Her greatest joys and what she was most proud of were her children, grandchildren, great-granddaughter and the rest of her family. Emerietta loved big and with everything she had and fought big, as well. She took on cancer with all that she had for more than two years. She was a spitfire and fought back hard right up until the end.

“Mom, you have given so much and asked for so little in return. Thank you for always being there for us, for teaching us, listening to us, helping and forgiving us, and always, always loving us. You deserved so much more than you were given, because you deserved the world. Farewell until we see you in heaven, sweet Mama. You were simply magnificent.”

Emerietta is survived by her two children, daughter Marnie Johnson (David Toskey) of Hammond, Wis., and son Martin Hulbert of Billings; five grandchildren, Kyle (Catherine) Johnson of Webster, Minn., Justin Johnson of Baldwin, Wis., Mercedes, Austin and Lexus Hulbert of Billings; great-granddaughter Aubrey Beaman of New Brighton, Minn.; brother Fred Jolley of Billings; sister Delvena Adams of Fresno, Calif.; sister-in-law Mary Jolley of Casper; and many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews and cousins.

Preceding her in death were her parents, husband Arthur, grandson Gregory Kaiser, sister Jerry Lee Jolley, brothers John and Edward Jolley and sisters-in-law Marianne Jolley and Pam Jolley.

Funeral services took place Thursday, Sept. 17, at Dahl Funeral Chapel, Billings. Bishop Allen from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officiated. Visitation was at 9 a.m. prior to the service. 

There was a picnic style luncheon immediately following the service at the Pavilion at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3595 Monad Rd., Billings.