Hallie E Savage-Martinez

MADISON - Hallie Elizabeth Savage Martinez, age 42, of Madison, passed away on Thursday, July 28, 2022, at Agrace HospiceCare. She was born on May 28, 1980, in Beloit, Wis., the daughter of Daniel Savage and Linda (Nagler) Savage.

Hallie graduated from Beloit Memorial High School in 1998.  She received her B.A. from Cal State San Marcos and earned her master’s degree from the UW Madison in Latin American Literature Studies.  A worldly personality, Hallie enjoyed people and learning about new places and spent many years traveling and living around the country and abroad, including in Colorado, California, Texas, Querétaro, Mexico and Paris, France.  She was talented with languages and became fluent in both Spanish and French.  Eventually, she moved to Madison, Wis., where she worked as a dance instructor teaching Salsa and the Cha Cha Cha and competing around the country.  

As she danced at different venues, Hallie would sometimes see the man she would eventually marry, Francisco Martinez, playing the drums and singing.  He was immediately drawn to her.  Over the years, their love developed and grew, even through a two-year long-distance relationship when Hallie decided to move to Austin, Texas, to teach at a magnet school.  When Hallie moved back to the Madison area, she and Francisco became engaged and married one another, surrounded by family and friends, in Saint Petersburg, Fla., on July 14, 2012.  They then entered the world as Hallie and Francisco Savage Martinez and gave birth to a boy that seemed to hold in him all of their love, Pahli Daniel Savage Martinez, in January 2016.

Hallie’s love for Pahli was deeply evident to all who knew her.  She was proud to consider herself a “helicopter” parent in his early years and adored him with every ounce of her being.  Hallie’s deep love for Pahli gave her strength to fight as long as she did in her battle with Stage 4 Cholangiocarcinoma.  She refused to accept that this diagnosis would determine her existence and worked fearlessly to face her cancer head on, focusing on wellness and giving everything she had to bravely extend her life as long as she could.  During this time, Hallie became certified as a Yoga Instructor, teaching classes in the neighborhood to raise money for families in need, as well as a health and wellness coach, creating her own small business called Savage Surrender.  She was a strong supporter of other cancer “surthrivers'' and taught others how to advocate for themselves to healthcare professionals. Her bravery was honorable and her determination was unmatched.  

Hallie was a strong figure for education in the Madison area.  In earlier years, she taught at Edgewood College as well as worked for the Literacy Network teaching adults to read.  More recently, she taught 7th grade language arts in the dual language immersion program at Sennett Middle School for the Madison Metropolitan School District, sharing a classroom with Francisco who interpreted at Sennett.  She went above and beyond in her role, advocating for her students, pushing her peers to give their best to students and to education, and frequently considering how she could do more for the community.  The health of the education system was deeply important to Hallie, and so in 2020, she accepted a shift in her position to the district office where she became a language arts curriculum planner.  

These traits were not surprising to those who knew Hallie, as she was purposeful in all the passionate choices she made to live her life.  She held many interests including reading, music, people, yoga, travel, hiking, the west, and running.  One could very accurately say that Hallie was larger than life.  She chose to see others as respected individuals of this world, gave warm greetings to those she knew around the neighborhood, fiercely defended those who she was loyal to, and was never too busy to listen and give beautiful life advice to those she loved.  Hallie was a beautiful person in this world and lived boldly with her heart and brilliant mind.  She was powerful and full of joy, magic, love, and sunshine and will forever be adored and missed.

Hallie is survived by husband, Francisco Savage Martinez; son, Pahli Savage Martinez; parents, Linda and Dan Savage; brother and sister-in-law, Zach and Sara Savage and their children, Leah Anne and Luke Michael Savage; aunt, Bonnie; uncle, John; and the family of Francisco Savage Martinez in Florida.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, James and Gloria Nagler, Eleanor Scodwell, and Daniel Savage who she was especially close to.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Hallie’s honor to help support expenses accrued at end of life at gofundme.com/f/hallie-savage-martinez.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care

5203 Monona Drive

(608) 221-5420