Maria Valiente Martin

Maria Valiente Martin, 83, of Marietta, GA, passed away on Monday, December 1, 2025. A funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 10th at All Saints Catholic Church in Dunwoody, with Rev. Neil Dhabliwala, Rev. Michael Silloway and Rev. Bryan Small officiating. Interment will follow in the columbarium next to her beloved husband, John. Maria’s beautiful life began in Havana, Cuba on December 26, 1941. She was raised in a warm, multigenerational home with her parents, Rafael and Julia, her brother, Rafa, and the ever-present love of her grandmother “Bibi” and Aunt Martha. She attended Ruston Academy, an American school where she first learned English, a gift that would change the course of her life. Her childhood was filled with large family gatherings, summers at the Havana Biltmore Yacht & Country Club, and memories like planting an entire papaya orchard in the backyard as a young girl, much to her grandmother’s surprise. Life changed dramatically as Fidel Castro came into power, and in 1960, Maria courageously fled Cuba with her family. Their journey was harrowing and uncertain, including her Aunt Martha being arrested at the port and later freed through a miraculous chain of help. The family was ultimately reunited in Miami, where they began again with only a few suitcases and $5 each. Maria often said that while they lost their home, they never lost their faith or their hope. Maria soon enrolled at the University of Miami to study Architectural Engineering. It was there, at the Aquinas Center, that she met a tall Wisconsin film student named John Hackett Martin. Their love story began with Sunday breakfasts, careful chaperoning by her mother, and John faithfully driving Maria (and her mother) to and from class. They married in 1963 at St. Hugh’s in Coconut Grove and shortly thereafter moved to New York, where Maria began her career at Pan Am and John began his at NBC. Together they built a beautiful life defined by family, faith, and adventure. They welcomed two daughters, Susan and Peggy, and their journey took them from Miami to New York, to Evanston and Crystal Lake, IL, and ultimately to Atlanta, where they spent their retirement surrounded by their daughters and families. Maria’s life was characterized by faith, strength, and a deep devotion to those around her. She was a kindergarten teacher, a successful realtor for more than 20 years, and later the welcoming face of All Saints Catholic Church as its receptionist. She became a proud U.S. Citizen in the 1980s, an emotional milestone she cherished until her final days. In 2006, Maria began writing a book to preserve her family’s story. Seventeen years later, she gifted her children and grandchildren From Cuba to America, a 189-page memoir capturing the legacy of courage, perseverance, and love that defined her life. It will be forever treasured by the generations that follow. Maria was known for her warm hospitality, especially her famous heart-shaped waffles with strawberries and whipped cream, lovingly served to her five grandchildren at the bar of her Dunwoody kitchen. Maria’s greatest joy was being “Grandma”. She delighted in every school performance, wedding, phone call, and holiday, and her love for them was limitless. She adored traveling the world with John, celebrating every milestone of her children and grandchildren, and sharing stories from Cuba that kept her heritage alive. Maria is preceded in death by her devoted husband of 58 years, John Hackett Martin, whose memory she carried with her every day. She is survived by her daughters Susan Bunda (Jim) and Peggy Stecker (Aaron); her grandchildren Alex Bunda, Casey Howse (Trevor), Adam Stecker, Nina Doane (Ben), and Ben Stecker (Lauren); and her brother Rafael Valiente (Ivonne). In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Maria’s memory to St. Vincent de Paul at St. Catherine of Siena, in honor of Maria’s many years of monthly giving to support families in need.

Maria Valiente Martin

December 26, 1941 - December 1, 2025