ST. TAMMANY PARISH, LA. 

Obituary for: MARTINEZ, WILDA HAGSTETTE 

Submitted by: Louis Lavedan. 

Source: E.J. Fielding Funeral Home, Covington, La.

Died Sunday, July 24, 2011

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MARTINEZ, WILDA HAGSTETTE 
(October 4, 1929 - July 24, 2011)

Martinez, Wilda H. passed away peacefully on July 24, 2011 at home.

Mrs. Martinez was born in New Orleans, LA, and graduated from Sophie Newcomb 
Memorial College in 1950. Mrs. Martinez retired from the United States 
Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in 2007 as the 
ARS North Atlantic Area Director after working for ARS for 53 years. Upon 
beginning her career with ARS in 1954, Mrs. Martinez served as a Research 
Scientist at the Southern Regional Research Center where she made significant 
contributions in the areas of cottonseed biochemistry and alternative uses of 
cotton byproducts. In 1975, she joined the ARS National Program Staff where she 
served as National Program Leader for Marketing and Processing of Field Crops, 
and later as Associate Deputy Administrator for Agriproducts and Human 
Nutrition, until 1997 when she became Director for the North Atlantic Area. Mrs. 
Martinez received numerous awards throughout her career, including the USDA 
Superior Award in 1972 and 1982, The Federal Woman's Award in 1975, two 
Presidential Rank Meritorious Awards in 1997 and 2005, and several Honor Awards. 
Mrs. Martinez was published in many scientific journals, both national and 
international, and was a long time member of the American Chemical Society and 
the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She was greatly loved 
and respected by her family, friends, and colleagues.

Mrs. Martinez is preceded in death by her parents, William J. Hagstette Sr. and 
Hilda Wax Hagstette. She is survived by her daughter, Lyra M. Erath; siblings, 
Esther H. Jordan, Elizabeth Walker, Stephen (Natalie) Hagstette, and William J. 
(Elena) Hagstette Jr.; grandchildren, Amanda Erath (Jacob Schlesinger), and 
Charles G. Erath IV.

Family and friends are invited to join together for a celebration of Mrs. 
Martinez's life on Sunday afternoon, July 31, at 15 Zion Street, Kenner, LA from 
2-5 pm.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the St. Tammany 
Parish Hospital Foundation - Hospice and the New Orleans Museum of Art.

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