Kimberly Shultz Martinez, 63 of Texas and formerly of Le Mars, Iowa, passed away on May 12, 2023.

A Graveside Service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, June 23, 2023 at St. John Cemetery in Craig, Iowa. Expressions of sympathy may be expressed to the family through www.rexwinkelfh.com.

Kimberly was born February 9, 1960 on a military base in New Jersey and she grew up in Le Mars, Iowa. At a young age, she gave birth to her first daughter, Stacy Marie, who unfortunately lost her battle with cystic fibrosis at 5 years old. Her surviving daughter, Landra Lea, who was a few years younger, did not carry the genetic disease. Due to the high risk factor, Kimberly made the brave decision to no longer have children of her own.

She spent the rest of her adulthood as a hard-working woman, to include many devoted years working at John Morrell.  She met her husband, Jose Ivan in the early 1990s. They were united in marriage in 1998 and they then began a career in truck driving. Nearly a decade later, Kim decided to leave her truck driving career and devoted her life in giving back to her community by fostering children in Sioux City, Iowa.

In January of 2004, she and her husband opened their home to their first 4 foster children. Jose and Kim adopted not only those same 4 children, but 2 additional children before moving to Laredo, Texas in 2006. While in Laredo, they continued foster care through Lutheran Social Services. By 2009, they had adopted 7 more children, turning a once family of 3 to a family of 16. Over the years, Kim began to suffer many health related complications, but continued to be a loving and supporting mother to all of her many children. She ultimately lost her battle on May 12th, 2023.

Kim is survived by her husband, Jose Ivan; 14 children: Landra, Jassey, Saul, Gaby, Noel, Marvin, Lilly, Fernie, Joel, Jose Luis, Zion, Lotta, Olivia, and Ashley; 6 grandchildren: Nichole, Junior, Raziel, Adalynn, Aubree, and Scarlett.

Kim is preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Marcella Shultz; daughter, Stacy Marie Boetger; and brother, Jon Shultz.