Tess never shied from a story. A confident, tireless and outspoken journalist, she’d worked at every major paper in Tucson during a brief career her colleagues say held untold promise. Maria “Tess” Martinez lived every day as though it was her last. And sadly for her friends and family, that last day came last week.

Martinez, 25, had just graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in journalism and was on her way to Chicago June 1 to continue her freelance career when she was killed in a single-car accident outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

She had interned and freelanced for a number of local publications including the Tucson Weekly, the Tucson Citizen, La Estrella de Tucson, Inside Tucson Business, Green Valley News and El Independiente.

In 2008, she was a fellow of the Academy of Alternative Journalism at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism.

There were few dreams Tess had, according to her brother Miguel Martinez, but she made them real. One was finishing school. Check. The second was to leave Tucson. Check. The third, was to be a journalist. “She was moving her whole life up there,” Miguel said, “It’s unfortunate I didn’t tell her more often how proud of her I was.”

She loved working on her car, a black Volkswagen Jetta, and pitbulls, when she wasn’t writing about housing, the environment and alternative lifestyles.

Martinez was also committed to developing her Spanish and working as a fully bilingual journalist, according to Maggy Zanger, an assistant professor of practice at the University of Arizona.

“I never thought of her as a student but as a colleague in the newsroom,” said Zanger, who supervised Martinez’ work as design chief at the bilingual newspaper El Independiente covering south Tucson and the Latino-Chicano community.

“She was a young woman who had a lot of promise,” said Zanger.

Martinez was also a founding member of NAHJ’s student chapter at the University of Arizona. “She did a lot of mentoring,” said Jeannine Relly, assistant professor of practice and advisor to the chapter.

“I’ve received lots of calls and email messages from people who knew her and they are all heartbroken,” said Relly.

Others who worked with her praised her desire to learn as much as possible about the craft of journalism, from reporting to design to working in the newsroom.

“The one thing about Tess that stands out is her drive. She loved journalism, and did everything she could to, well, DO journalism. She interned at all three of the “major” Tucson-wise newspapers,” wrote Jimmy Boegle, editor of the Tucson Weekly, in an e-mail, “She was going to do another internship at the Star in the fall. She temped for the Green Valley News and Sun. That’s a LOT for a 25-year-old. Everybody I’ve talked to who worked with Tess at these various publications/endeavors is just crushed. She had a ton of talent and a ton of personality. It’s a big loss.”

“Te quedas con un amargo sabor de boca porque te pones a pensar, dijo Jose Merino, editor de La Estrella de Tucson, “Ojalá pudiera haber hecho más para avanzar su carrera pero desafortunadamente esa oportunidad se nos fue.”

Martinez is survived by her brothers Marcelino, Anthony, Christopher, Vicente; sisters Graciela, Catalina, Tatiana; parents Jose and Dorreen; and her five-year-old pitbull-terrier Einstein.

There will be a rosary service at St. Melanie’s Byzantine Church, 1212 N. Sahuara Avenue, Tucson, AZ, at 7 p.m. tonight followed by an all-night vigil. The funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday at the church.

“The outpouring has been tremendous,” said her brother Miguel Martinez, who predicts the church will be standing-room-only Tuesday.