Carl Dean Martin

A Funeral Service for Carl Dean Martin has been scheduled for 10:00 AM, Thursday, April 28, 2016 at Hayhurst Funeral Home Chapel in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Burial will follow at Park Grove Cemetery. Carl was born in Muskogee to March and Minnie (Chisholm) Martin who lived in the Broken Arrow area. He was a full blood Muscogee Creek of the Beaver Clan and Lochapoka Tribal Town. He was raised by his mother and step-father Jim Chalakee on a farm on East 41st Street near Oak Grove Road. His maternal grandparents were Anderson and Rosa (Fulotka) Chisholm who lived at 101st and Memorial. His paternal grandparents were Johnson and Susannah (Carr) Martin of Coweta. Carl’s first language was Creek. The first two years of his schooling were at the Euchee Indian Boarding School in Sapulpa. At age eight, he attended Progressive School through the eighth grade. His high school years were at Broken Arrow High School where he graduated in 1943. He was a good athlete and loved playing football for the Broken Arrow Tigers. Carl’s Christian education began in area Indian Methodist Churches, Haikey Chapel, Broken Arrow Indian Methodist, and the church across from his home, Springtown Indian Methodist. As an adult, he was a member of the Broken Arrow Assembly of God Church from around 1952 to his death. He was always an active church member until he was unable to attend. In 1944, Carl enlisted into the U.S. Navy. He enlisted with classmate Jimmy Goodner, and they completed basic training together in Farragut, Idaho. Following their basic training, the two men did not see one another again until after the war. Carl was assigned to the U.S.S. Washington, a battleship, which was involved in the bombardment of the Central Phillipines, Luzon, Okinawa, Iwo Jima, Taiwan, and Tokyo. He was honorably discharged on New Year’s Day, 1946. Carl returned to his Broken Arrow home upon his discharge and soon married his high school sweetheart, Betty Patterson Justus, in May 1946. It was a family of three with two year old Sheryl Jean, and he excelled at being a good husband, father, and provider. He completed a two year course in diesel mechanics at Okmulgee Tech and then was employed at MK&O Bus Lines in Tulsa. His son, James, was born about the time he finished his training in 1948. As Broken Arrow grew, the Postal Service started home delivery of mail, and Carl, Guy Kinkeade, and Paul Collins began careers with the post office in 1950. Daughter Betty Sue was born the following year, completing their family. He had several promotions in his career and served as postmaster in Collinsville, Fort Gibson, Sperry, and Cleveland where he was at the time of retirement in 1987. Baseball was Carl’s passion throughout his life. He liked to play ball as a boy on Sunday afternoons on a field near his home. There were many who shared his passion, and in the 1950s, a group of them enjoyed playing on a “town” team. They had to travel to find other teams to play and even played at the prison in McAlester. When his son Jim was just a small boy, Carl came up with an idea to have a boy’s league in Broken Arrow. He started with some of Jim’s friends and called up their dads and soon they were playing ball. This was the beginning of little league baseball in Broken Arrow. He coached Jim’s teams from age 7 through high school and American Legion ball. For many years, he served as a volunteer director of the program and organized the construction of backstops, concession stands, lighting for fields, and more. After 20 years of service to the program, more than 800 boys and girls were benefitting from it. Carl was named Citizen of the Month by the Civitans and received several trophies for his contributions to the community and its youth. In 2000, Carl was chosen as a “Great Graduate” by the Broken Arrow Alumni Association, again in recognition of his service to Broken Arrow youth. Carl and Betty raised three children in the Broken Arrow Assembly of God Church. Betty preceded Carl in death in 1992, and Sheryl (Simms) followed in 2014. A granddaughter, Tonya, also preceded Carl in death in 1967. He is survived by two children, James Martin and wife Ada of Ashburn, VA; and Betty Sue Gerber and husband Gary of Broken Arrow. He is also survived by eight grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Grandchildren are Anne Simms Johnson (husband, Mike) and John Simms, both of Broken Arrow; Tika Martin (Willard) of San Mateo, CA; Kevin Martin (wife, Tiffany) of Fredericksburg, VA; Kelly Martin Wilson (husband, Stephan) of Fate, TX; Shannon Martin of Ashburn, VA; Jennifer Gerber Day (husband, Bill) of Broken Arrow; and Gary M Gerber of Lakewood, CO. Great grandchildren are Brittany, Sidney, Bailey, Maddie, Brenna, Ben, Ava, and Zoe.

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Carl Dean Martin

February 25, 1923 - April 23, 2016