Ilda J. Martins

January 25, 1941 - May 16, 2022

Ilda J. Martins, 81, of Bethlehem, passed away on Monday, May 16, 2022, at Alexandria Manor in Bath. She was surrounded by family when she passed. Born on January 25, 1941, in Santiago de Cassurrães, Portugal, she was a daughter of the late Jose and Rosa (Rodrigues) Pais-Viegas. She retired from housekeeping at Lehigh University, where she worked full-time until the age of seventy-six years old. Outside of work, she loved to read the bible, attend church, sing in the choir, go camping, visit the beach, go out to eat and spend time with her family. Ilda always offered a lending hand to anyone in need. She will be remembered for her selflessness, work ethic and the love she had for her family. She is preceded in death by her parents. Ilda will be lovingly remembered by her husband of nearly sixty-one years, Jose Martins, to whom she wed on September 10, 1961; two sons: Jose Luis V. Martins and his wife Donna, and Antonio Alberto V. Martins and his wife Christina; four grandchildren: Ryan Martins, Brittany Travassos, Sonia Holland and Cindy Rosario; and seven siblings: Helena Almeida, Emilia Magalhaes, Lourdes Goncalves, Aurora Goncalves, Antonio Viegas, Christina Fonseca, and Odete Viegas. A viewing will be held at the Connell Funeral Home, Inc., 245 East Broad Street, Bethlehem, on Friday, May 20, 2022, from 6:00 until 8:00pm. A second viewing will be held on Saturday, May 21, 2022, from 9:00am until the time of the funeral service at 10:00am, all at the funeral home.