Jose "Marty" Martinez

Jose "Marty" Martinez, born at Ignacio, Colorado on September 29, 1934 to Emelio and Juanita Martinez, passed away peacefully on July 12, 2025. He is preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Jimmie Clydean Wakefield Martinez, and his sons Timothy Martinez and Marty Martinez. Survivors include his sister Marcia Martinez, his daughter, Sephy Palmerton, his son, Kris Martinez, and five grandchildren.
Jose (Marty) retired from the U.S. Air Force as a Master Sergeant after 23 years of service that included assignments in Korea, Vietnam, Okinawa, Alaska, Canada and throughout the United States. His Communications Units were awarded Distinguished Service Medals during the Cuban Crisis and in Vietnam. He served with the 5th Air Force, Air Defense Command; Air Force Communications Service; and the 3rd Combat Communications Group.
After the Air Force, Marty worked for the Oklahoma Department of Human Services for 23 years in Data Services. He was a member of the Human Relations Council and served four years as the DHS Liaison to the Governors Council on Hispanic and Asian Affairs. He served six years as Executive Director of the Hispanic Public Policy Analysis Institute, a key Hispanic organization that helped hundreds of new Hispanic immigrants assimilate into Oklahoma's population. His many freelance newspaper articles, which appeared in two Hispanic and two English language newspapers, created awareness about the many cultural changes of this new emerging Hispanic population and helped ease their assimilation. He was honored with the Oklahoma Human Rights Award for his community service. He was a member of the Disabled American Veterans and the American G.I. Forum, a Hispanic veteran's group. He served as State Commander of the AGIF for six years, Louis Rocco Chapter Commander for 10 years, and Vice-President of the Amigo Foundation of Oklahoma for 10 years. As director of the Louis Rocco Youth and Family Center, he helped countless veterans, youths, and families in Altus, Hollis, Norman, Hobart, Rosedale, Clinton, Heavener, Tulsa, and throughout central Oklahoma, by providing them with timely information about social programs and VA benefits, and by providing hundreds of hours of after-school leadership development, carpentry skills, and cultural arts performing programs for youths. In the performing arts, he made available many hours of free folkloric dance instructions to countless youth and supported them as they performed free dance programs at veteran's centers, nursing homes, colleges, public schools, and at many local cultural festivals throughout the state. In 2007, Governor Brad Henry honored him with the Governor's Arts Award for his community service to Oklahoma youths and families.
He served for three years as a youth mentor at Moon Middle School, Douglas High School, and as part of the YMCA and Eagle Ridge youth mentor programs. He served on various community executive and advisory boards including Eagle Ridge Institute, Southeast Community Health Center, Little River District Scout Planning Programs, Oklahoma Hispanic Leadership Council of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Commission on Children & Youth, Oklahoma Minority Health Services, Starting Right Drug & Alcohol Abuse Prevention Coalition, Oklahoma City Citizen's League, Oklahoma Hispanic Heritage Association, and the Amigo Foundation of Oklahoma.
He was a devoted husband, father, and friend who believed that each of us is responsible for each other and always tried to live his life that way. He enjoyed working with families and making his community a better place to live. Jose "Marty" Martinez was one of the good ones, he will be missed beyond measure. To send flowers to the family of Jose "Marty", please visit our floral store.