Wichita area loses another restaurant pioneer to COVID-19
COVID-19 has claimed the life of another local restaurant founder.
Juan Martinez, who started his restaurant career in Wichita before founding Derby’s Casa Martinez in 1993, died on Thursday from the virus, his family said. He was 72.
Juan, known for his piercing blue eyes and generous nature, had been dealing with other underlying health conditions for a while, said his youngest daughter, Loly, who now runs Casa Martinez at 204 W. Greenway. It’s one of Derby’s longest-running restaurants.
“We thought we had a couple of years left with him,” Loly said. “But once he got COVID, that was it.”
Juan was born in Lasara, Texas, in 1948 but grew up in Mexico. Lured by job opportunities, he and his brother, Martin, moved to Wichita together when Juan was 16, and the brothers lived with their uncle.
He got a job as a cook at Wichita’s El Patio restaurant then later as a dishwasher at the Broadview hotel. He started a career as a welder at Christopher Steel, and after a couple of years, he met his wife, Maria Vela, in Riverside Park. They married after just a few months of dating and started a family.
In 1978, Juan’s brother, Martin, bought Felipe’s Jr. restaurant at 9718 E. Harry, which he still owns. He asked Juan to come work with him, and the two ran the restaurant together until 1993 when Juan, who by then had seven children, decided to go into business for himself.
Casa Martinez built up a strong clientele over the years, drawing customers not only from Derby but also from Mulvane, Valley Center, Haysville and Wichita. Juan decided to retire from the restaurant in 2015 and would travel between Kansas and Mexico, where he’d stay for months at a time. But he missed his former customers, Loly said.
She’ll remember her father’s generous spirit. He loved his customers, and when one would pass away, he would sometimes insist on donating food for the funeral, she said.
“He got close to them,” Loly said. “He was super generous. He was strict with us kids, but he did it for our own good.”
He’s survived by his wife of 49 years, Maria, and five of his seven children: Juan Martinez Jr, Adrian Martinez, Martin Martinez (owner of Empire Tacos in Mulvane), Enrique Martinez and Loly Martinez. He was preceded in death by children Carlos and Perla.
Casa Martinez has remained open but will close for lunch on Thursday so that family and longtime staff members can attend a small memorial service. Loly said the family hopes to have a larger service when COVID-19 conditions improve.
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