Honoring
Kristine “Kris” Marie Martins

Kristine “Kris” Marie (Limbaugh) Martins was born in Santa Monica on August 19, 1947 to Barbara Ann Hanley Limbaugh and Otho Singleton Limbaugh Jr. She was the middle child, with an older sister Sandra Louise and younger brother Robert Hanley. The family moved several times, but never left the West Los Angeles area and made numerous lifelong friendships that exist today. Following a childhood encounter with a penguin at Marineland, Kris became enamored with penguins and maintained an interest, bordering on an obsession, with penguins for the rest of her life. Kris moved out in 1965 to attend San Diego State University to major in Social Welfare. Kris remained devoted to improving the lives of children throughout her life and pursued a career in childcare. Kris continued her pattern of making lifelong friends in college, with her “Two Elaines”, Elaine McCain and Elaine Hartlieb. 

Kris met her first husband John at San Diego State, but the marriage quickly ended. She returned to Los Angeles and was introduced to her second husband, Bryan Cilley, by her brother Bob. Kris and Bryan married and Kris gave birth to her first daughter, Erin in 1978, and her second daughter, Meghan, in 1980. She was a warm and supportive parent and showed a commitment to shaping her life to provide the best environment for her children by becoming a child-minder which allowed her to stay at home and support her family.  Memories from that time are of a noisy house full of children, games, and laughter.

While the family lived in Simi Valley, California, Kris and the family battled to support Bryan through a long period of addiction and recovery. But in 1985 the marriage ended, and Kris and the girls began their new life together. She worked incredibly hard to provide a good life for the girls, and the jobs she had ensured that they were often together. She provided high quality afterschool childcare to countless families; her warmth and her humor meant she was able to positively impact the lives of so many. 

While the family was never rich, Kris did her best to impart values of honesty, respect, and humor to her children. She also demonstrated her commitment to caring for others, and to being part of a community through her long employment with the Conejo Valley YMCA, where she worked at Madrona and Santa Rosa Elementary Schools.  She was also a camp director during the summer months, during these years Kris often worked 10-12 hour days but remained fulfilled and dedicated throughout.  The girls were also able to attend summer camp there, meaning the family was able to stay together. 

These years and her career in childcare were some of the most fulfilling in her life, she often told stories and referred to ‘her kids’ with affection.  Photographs from this time show Kris being silly, creative, and very often tireless. 

Once Erin and Meghan were grown, Kris embarked in an entirely new career as a medical records coder. This was a far better paying job, and that she waited until the girls had moved away is another testament to her commitment as a parent. She worked at Community Memorial Hospital for over 15 years in several positions in the medical records department. She brought her unique blend of silliness, dedication, and community to the people she worked with.  Those friendships continued after she, and other members of the team retired, many of whom maintained kindness and support to Fred and Kris as her health declined. 

Kris met Alfred (Fred) Martins in 2005 and married him in 2007. The third time turned out to be the charm for Kris, and the two were extremely happy together. She was clearly smitten with Fred, when on a visit to Meghan in Orkney, Scotland, Kris would sneak off to speak with him on the phone and she could be heard laughing during the conversation. 

Kris enjoyed her retirement with Fred, spending time reading or doing puzzles while he built LEGO. They enjoyed going to the Ventura County Fair every year and have a picture to commemorate every year they went. Kris was diagnosed with dementia in 2024, after some worrying symptoms were observed by her friends and family.  Fred remained her loving partner as the illness progressed, even as their lives became very different than the one they had imagined for themselves.  Kris passed away on May 14, 2026, peacefully and in her sleep. During the last part of her life, Kris lived at Gracie’s Senior Care home in Oxnard, California. The family would like to express their immense gratitude to Gracie for providing Kris excellent care during the course of her illness. 

Kris will be remembered for loving to laugh, loving to make others laugh, and for treating everyone she met as her friend. She had an incredible knowledge of penguins, and could rattle off numerous facts about penguins when asked, and sometimes when not asked. Kris loved to visit her daughters, traveling to Iceland and to Scotland to visit them. She is survived by her husband, Fred; her daughters, Erin and Meghan; and her brother Bob. Her grandchildren Aida, Violet, and Max love her and often tell ‘Nana stories’ about the memories they made together in the visits they shared. All of whom will miss her laughter, stories, and bonkers adventures which often involved getting lost. She joins her parents, Barbara and Otho; and sister, Sandy, in death.

In lieu of flowers please make donations in Kris’ name to the Alzheimer’s Association or to the World Wildlife Fund. There will be an online memorial service held on her birthday, August 19th, 2026, to celebrate Kris’ life.  Register below.