Norman — Tom and Frankie Martin met in Farmington, N.M., when Tom left Norman to work in the oil field farm.
Tom graduated from Norman in 1957 and attended college at Northern Oklahoma Junior College in Tonkawa for a year. He worked at Industrial Oil Field Supply.
Frankie lived in Farmington, N.M., for many years, graduating from high school in 1958. She attended business college in Albuquerque for a year and then returned to Farmington where she worked at a finance company.
Shortly after they were married, the Martins moved to Norman and started a family. Tom worked for John Roberts Ring Manufacturing Company for many years and when the company moved to Austin, Texas, Tom stayed in Norman so Frankie could finish her bachelor’s degree in secondary education. Tom worked for the City of Norman until he retired in 2000.
Frankie secured a teaching position with Wayne High School. She sponsored many organizations while teaching and coached cheerleaders for many years. She also owned and operated Country Roads Gymnastics. Frankie went back to the University of Oklahoma and completed her master’s degree in secondary administration and received her principal’s certificate in 1989. She continued to teach and also assumed vice principal duties for the last five years of her career until her retirement in 1993.
Family of the couple include Stan and Andrea (Anderson) Martin and their sons Sam and Joe; Dan Martin and three granddaughters, Jessica and husband Brian Kumfer and great-grandson Landon of Denham Springs, La., Jamie and Jimmy Dale Feagin and great-granddaughter Jayden of Bald Knob, Ark., and Christina Martin of Denham Springs, La. The couple also has a special son relationship with Tommy Miler, wife Kandi and their five children, Hailey, Trestin and Kolton Miller and Dylan and Shaeli Summers.
The couple will celebrate their anniversary with a trip to Branson, Mo., where the Wayne High School jazz band will perform next week.
