Bonnie Martin

Bonnie Rae (Herron) Martin, beloved mother and ‘Granny’, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Friday, February 7, 2020, aged 89 years and 3 months. A long-time Tahlequah resident, Bonnie is survived by a brother, R.W. ‘Perk’ Herron, Jr. of Tulsa, three children, Bobby of West Siloam Springs, Oklahoma; Bekki Gilbert, of Tahlequah; and Billye, of Tahlequah. She also leaves behind nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews and family friends.



Born on October 23, 1930, in Checotah, Oklahoma to R.W. and Mable (Carr) Herron, Bonnie graduated Onapa High School in 1948. She attended Haskell Institute in Lawerence, Kansas, and graduated in 1950. On August 27, 1952, she married Billye Eugene Martin, and they remained married for 57 years until his death in March 2010. She was also preceded in death by her brother, David Herron, and sisters Inez Guinn, Addie WIlliams and Frances Pemberton.



Bonnie was a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. A long-time employee of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Cherokee Nation, she retired in 1986. After retirement, she devoted her remaining years to loving on her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her supportive, generous and loving spirit will be deeply missed by her family and all who knew her.