Senior Spotlight sponsored by Signature Hospice

John Bill Martin: Because every moment matters

John Bill Martin has spent nearly nine decades doing what he does best: showing up for his community.

Born Jan. 12, 1936, in Holdenville, Oklahoma, Martin began his career in education shortly after graduating from East Central University in 1957. Recruited to Mid-Del by Assistant Superintendent R.W. McLean, he signed a blank contract and stepped into what he believed would be a classroom teaching assignment.

At 20, Martin was initially assigned to Del City High School before moving to Steed Elementary. There, his days were full — teaching in the classroom, driving students between schools for meals and physical education, and coaching multiple sports after school. It was a pace that would define much of his life.

In 1959, Martin was recruited to Monroney Junior High. Before settling in, however, he accepted a unique opportunity overseas, teaching in the Philippine Islands as an “Air Force Adjunct.” Living on base and supporting military families, he gained experiences and stories that he still shares today.

By 1960, Martin had returned to Mid-Del, balancing teaching and coaching while adding another role to his schedule. He helped establish The Midwest City Monitor, beginning a lifelong connection to local journalism. His days were spent in the classroom, on the field and in the newsroom.

That demanding schedule shaped his personal life as well. When asked why he never married, Martin said simply, “I couldn’t ask a woman to put up with that kind of schedule.”
Even retirement did not slow him down. Martin continued substitute teaching across eastern Oklahoma County before stepping into what he calls the “frosting” of his career, serving as a gifted and talented teacher at McLoud Schools. With engaged students and a love for learning, it was a perfect fit. He retired for the second time in 2017.

Today, Martin remains a steady presence in the community. He announces local sporting events two to three nights a week, writes his weekly column, Around Town, and works in the family funeral business, Asa Smith Funeral Home.

When asked the secret to a happy life, Martin does not hesitate: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” and “Always look upward.”

For decades, John Bill Martin has invested in students, families and the stories that shape Midwest City and eastern Oklahoma County. His life is a reminder that showing up again and again makes all the difference.