Barbara Lynn Martin, 58, of Tulsa passed away on Friday, February 28, 2014. She was born in Canton, NY, on April 15, 1955 to Dolores and the late B.J. Martin. She graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Hotel and Restaurant Administration and a Master of Adult Education - Training and Development. She later earned a Master of Public Health from the University of Oklahoma.
Lynn has owned Gourmet on the Go, a Tulsa full-service catering company, since 1988. In addition to catering, in 1989 she began operating the cafeteria at Bishop Kelley High School, which continues today, as well as operating six other school lunch programs. Gourmet on the Go served as a partner in education for Key Elementary School in the Tulsa Public Schools district.
Previously she held positions at the Catholic Diocese of Tulsa: Volunteer Program Director, Youth and Young Adult Director, Madonna House Director and a year as Campus Minister at the TU Newman Center.
Kind and compassionate, Lynn championed those in need of assistance to better themselves. While running a full time business she was also an adjunct instructor at TCC teaching online classes. In an effort to be part of lowering recidivism rates Lynn drove to Hominy weekly to instruct classes at the Dick Connor Correctional Facility.
She served as Chair of the Tulsa Area Workforce Investment Board--the local presence of the Workforce Investment Act--enacted by Congress about 12 years ago. Its purpose is to help retrain workers for jobs and find work for the unemployed. Lynn was one of their longest serving board members and was currently Chair of Workforce Tulsa.
Lynn chose to share her time, talent and treasure with organizations that make a difference in our community such as the Junior League of Tulsa and Downtown Rotary. She volunteered with the American Diabetes Association for their Concours for the Cure event. She also volunteered with the Second Chance Scholarship funding efforts, a funding source held by Tulsa Community College that helps provide tuition dollars for inmates to work toward college certificates and degrees.
Lynn was the recipient of the Helen Lauinger Award for Service to Madonna House, a member of the Bishop Kelley Hall of Fame, and a Recipient of the De La Salle A ward for Service at San Miguel School. While her additional accomplishments are too many to be listed she is most known, by many, for being a friend. Lynn was good friend to more people than most people will know in a lifetime. She had the ability to make everyone she encountered feel they were worthwhile and special. Lynn truly was an extraordinary person and those who had the privilege of knowing her are blessed and better for it. A devout and faithful Catholic Lynn practiced her faith daily. For the last 15 years Lynn was able to accomplish so much because of the kindness of a stranger: an organ donor gave her a second chance in 1999 with the gift of a liver. It would please Lynn if the public would continue to educate themselves on the importance of organ transplants and especially to sign up to give that gift of life. This can be done when one renews one's driver's license.
Lynn also had a fun side and an incredibly wicked wit; everyone who knew her has a "Lynn story" or can recite one of her famous one liners. For pleasure Lynn found great joy and companionship knitting at Loops, playing mah-jongg, and enjoying meals with friends. Her telephone was never far from her side. Lynn loved working with her sister Caroline every day at Gourmet on the Go. Her love and affection for her two nephews, Kyle and Braden, was boundless.
Lynn is survived by her mother, Dolores Martin, and sister Janet Martin, of Oklahoma City, OK; her brother Michael Martin (Dianna), of Denver, CO; her brother Scott Martin of Newport Beach, CA; her sister Caroline Quinn (Brent) and their children, her beloved nephews, Kyle and Braden. She is also survived by her aunt Kathleen Lahue (Philip) of Canandaigua, NY, her uncle Joseph Duffy (Gisele) of Hornell, NY, her uncle Leonard Vogt of Copenhagen, NY, her uncle Charles Angelino, Fullston, MD, her aunt Kathleen O'Leary, Silver Springs, MD, her aunt Linda O'Leary,
Trumansburg, NY, and her aunt Annie O'Leary, Pittsford, NY.
She is preceded in death by her father, B. J. Martin, grandparents Mr and Mrs Earl Martin, Copenhagen, NY, Dr. and Mrs. F. W. O'Leary, Malone, NY and Mr. Edward Duffy, Malone, NY; her uncles Dr Timothy O'Leary, Harrington O'Leary, Daniel O'Leary, and James O'Leary and aunts Frances Angelino and Rosemarie Vogt.
A Wake Service will be held on Thursday, March 6, at 7 PM at the Church of the Madalene, 3188 E. 22nd St., Tulsa. The funeral Mass of the Resurrection will be offered on Saturday, March 8, 10 AM at the Church of Saint Mary, 1347 E. 49th Pl., Tulsa. Memorial donations may be made to Bishop Kelley Endowment, San Miguel School and Clarehouse. Moore's Southlawn 918-663-2233 share memories at www.moorefuneral.com