Connie Rea Martin was born in Carthage, Missouri on Monday, March 1, 1948 to John Lee and Laura Elizabeth Martin. With two older brothers in the home, Tommy (12 years old) and Montie (4 years old), her birth brought a lovely shade of pink into their home.  Being the only sister to two brothers, and being the youngest in her family, it is no surprise that Connie turned out to be one tough lady.

Sometime before she was born, Connie’s dad surrendered to becoming a pastor, which meant the family moved quite a bit over the course of her childhood.  Faith was a big part of their home, so when God said, “Go!” they went.  As a result, Connie attended around 11 different schools between starting Kindergarten and graduating High School.  She was even in the first Kindergarten class to be held at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. 

At the age of 15, Connie met a boy named Perry at a combined church event near Dallas, Texas, and the two ended up marrying a couple years later.  They immediately began to build a home and family together.  In the first 13 years of their marriage, Connie and Perry had four children: Stephen, Philip, Amy, and Janessa. 

A few years into their marriage, Perry also surrendered to full-time ministry, so Connie became not only wife, and mother, but also a partner in ministry.  While Perry served in vocational ministry, Connie filled various roles within the church.  Over the years she served as Preschool Director, Pianist/Organist, Sunday School Teacher, VBS Director/Teacher, Choir Member, and Soloist. 

From an early age, she was interested in music, and her parents encouraged that interest by investing in a piano and lessons for her.  She was faithful to use that love and interest in music to bring honor and glory to God both in the church and in her home.  She taught each one of her children how to read music and how to play on the same piano her parents bought her when she was only 5 or 6 years old.   In addition to music, Connie was an avid reader of mystery novels and books on historical figures and events.  She was also gifted in sewing, crocheting, cooking, and baking.  She made sure every grandchild got a handmade blanket when they were born, and at every holiday, she always made their favorite treats.  Connie loved growing vegetables and flowers in the garden, with Roses and African Violets being some of her favorites.  If you knew her well, you also knew she was the queen of bargain shopping.  She often came home showing us all the things she bought and enjoyed playing the “Guess-how-much-I-paid-for-this?” game. 

Over the years, Connie continued to demonstrate the same strength she developed as a young girl.  Over the last days of her life, we heard many people describe her in so many ways, but some of the words that stand out the most are Godly, Quiet Strength, Quiet Force, Light, and Kind.  In the last days, mom reiterated to us how loved and blessed she knew she was, and how much she loved all of us, her friends and family.   She loved big and she loved deeply.  She left behind 4 children and their spouses, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren, two brothers, and many nieces and nephews.  We were all blessed to get to call her Mom, Wife, Gram, Sister, Daughter, Aunt, Niece, Cousin, Friend, Sister in Christ.

Ninde Brookside, 918-742-5556, www.ninde.com