Pete Martin

Jimmie Dale "Pete" Martin, 82, passed from this life on July 2, 2016 after a short, but courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Pete was born in Cleveland, OK on August 18, 1933 to Thomas Roy Martin and Goldie Marie Brower. Pete was preceded in death by his wife, Jane Marilyn Martin whom he married in 1955. Pete graduated from Cleveland High School in 1951 and went on to play one year of scholarship football at Coffeyville, KS before entering the Air Force. He flew bombers, including the B-57, as a navigator/bombardier and then briefly left the Air Force to complete his degree at OU, majoring in Aerospace Engineering. Upon re-entering the Air Force, and being commissioned as an Officer, he worked on several key Air Force and NASA projects such as the Titan III-C, and the Saturn V. He retired from active duty in 1977 and returned to Cleveland where he worked at Ball Oil before taking the position of City Manager. He also worked as a substitute teacher in Cleveland when he retired as city manager. Pete is survived by his three children; son, Curtis Martin and wife, Janice and their children, Tommy and Eric of Atlanta, GA; daughter, Jennifer Henry and husband, James and their children, Jared, Roxanne and Sam of Oklahoma City; and son, Joel Martin of Oklahoma City. A Graveside service will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday, July 9th at Woodland Cemetery in Cleveland, OK.