Betty Raydeane Martin

October 18, 1927-July 20, 2020

Betty Martin was called home at 92 years on July 20, 2020 after losing her life to the COVID-19 novel coronavirus while living in a nursing home. She will be interred at Cashion Cemetery, Cashion, OK.

Betty was the first of three daughters born to Carlos Perry Montgomery (Card) and Mary Ellen Hammond Montgomery, on October 18, 1927. Her birthplace was in the Logan County home of George and Sarah (Hatfield) Hammond, one and three quarter miles east of Cashion, Oklahoma. Both of her sisters, Patty Frances and Alta Fay, were also born at their grandparents’ home.

They lived with her grandparents for almost two years. When Betty started school, she walked to nearby Labell School, District 21, for first and second grades. In about 1933, Card and Mary moved their family to the Cronkite farm for seven years. This was a large two story house, built back into a rock hill, making it a very early version of a split level house. The kitchen, pantry, living room, and one bed room, were on the ground floor. Later her parents purchased the Hammond farm, so they moved back there again. She finished her last two years of grade school in the one room Labell School. She spent her four high school years and graduated from Cashion School.

The Montgomery family lived in northern states. Card's parents were deceased before he married, and Betty did not know them. However, gatherings were often with Mary Hammond's family...the Hammonds and the Hatfields. At some time in her adulthood, they realized that they really were a clan. They celebrated, visited and worked together, as a large extended family.

In high school, she met Robert Eugene Martin. Betty began her studies at Central State College in Edmond. She stopped her college career to marry the love of her life and start a family. They married July 22, 1946, in Coffeyville, KS. Bob spent a year in Guam as part of the peace time army. They set out to be farmers and raise a farm family. By 1951, Bob's allergies made it very difficult for him, and he secured a job at Tinker Air Force Base. They moved their two daughters Jackie and Kathryn Anne (Kathy) to Del City, near Tinker Air Force Base. William Eugene (Bill) joined them, and the family was complete.

Betty was a stay at home mom who did yard work, church work, and was a classroom mom, too. She missed the farm, but made a good family life with her children, her extended family, neighbors, and church family. In 1976, they bought Sweet Home, the farm in Lincoln County, Oklahoma. It was red dirt and sand burrs, but had lots of room to run, play, fish and cook out. As the family grew, they spent more and more recreational time there, finally selling it in 1997.

In 1998, her world changed forever, as Bob was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Family and friends came often to spend time with him, to his great joy. He was able to remain at home, where he died October 20, 1998. His ashes are interred at Cashion Cemetery.

In Betty’s words, "And life goes on, after 52 years of marriage, in a much different way for a widow. I've made a discovery of all sorts of things that Bob Martin did on a regular basis, to make life easier for all of us. Life still holds joy and excitement, involving our three children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and even great, great grandchildren.”

Betty loved her church families and volunteered in many capacities. She and Bob were charter members of the Del City Christian Church and Betty was a long serving member of the First Christian Church of Midwest City. Her devotion and service to her church calling will forever be remembered.

She also loved singing, gardening, researching family genealogy and most importantly helping others. Her favorite hymns were “I Come to the Garden Alone” and “It is Well with my Soul.”

Many will remember Betty as the “carousel grandma” at the Oklahoma City Public Zoo, a job she took while in her 80’s.

She is preceded in death by her parents, sisters, beloved husband, Robert E. Martin, son-in-law Vincent Vanchieri, and grandson Vincent Vanchieri, Jr.

She is survived by her children Jackie Ortega, Midwest City, Kathy Vanchieri, Stillwater, and Bill Martin (Anne-Marie), Oklahoma City.

Grandchildren Adrian Ortega (Nayara), São Paulo, Brazil, Andrèia Ortega, Philadelphia, PA, Victoria Doyle (John), Westerville, OH, Ryan Vanchieri, Stillwater, Marlisa Peterson (Eric), Jenks, Amelia Johnson (Steve), Crescent, IA, Jennifer Tillinghast (Jason), Rockport, TX, Kathryn Martin, Omaha, NE, Albert Oestriecher (Kelly), Charleston, SC, and Jeff Oestriecher, Dallas, TX.

Great-grandchildren Helena Ortega, São Paulo, Brazil, Colin Doyle Westerville, OH, Cain Longan (Nikki), Perkins, OK, Grace Peterson, Jenks, OK, Samuel Vanchieri and Jacob Vanchieri, Columbus, OH, Khoal Vanchieri and Pandora Vanchieri, Lawrence, KS, Blake Johnson and Tyler Johnson, Omaha, NE, Kaylyn Shipley (Chase) and Kirsten Malone (Ryan), Tucson, AZ, and Alan Oestriecher, Charleston, SC.

Great-great-grandsons Vincent Longan, Perkins, OK, and Axell Shipley, Tucson, AZ, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and loving friends that she made feel like family.

Due to these dangerous times, her service will be held at a later date.

In lieu of memorial contributions, please do a random act of kindness in Betty Martin’s honor.

Due to current COVID protocols, guests are encouraged to wear protective masks at all times while inside the funeral home and practice the recommended six foot social distancing.