Martha Kelley celebrated her 100th birthday in August. “I don’t feel as old as my age,” said the cheerful woman who answered the door of her home. Born to Ed and Ella (James) Jones in Stigler, Martha still enjoys trips to Stigler, where she can get one of her favorite meals at a local cafe—chicken-fried steak and mashed potatoes.
She has always enjoyed traveling, and her long-distance trips have included vacations to Hawaii, California and Michigan; an adventure to Illinois to see the Sears Tower when it was the tallest building in America; and crossing the desert by car between Oklahoma and California to work all summer in an apricot orchard in Fresno.
Martha was in ninth grade, between classes at Haskell, when she first drove the family car to Fresno with her mother and sister.
“I didn’t have a license, and I didn’t have any fear of driving, even in California traffic,” she said.
Early years of her life were spent on farms, and she loved to fish and hunt. She still enjoys fishing.
“Hunting once with my dad, he couldn’t shoot a squirrel out of the top of a tree. He told me to take the gun and try to hit it. I did with the first shot,” said Martha. “After that, I always went hunting with him if I was not at school.”
She fondly recalls spending Saturdays in town, getting a burger and soda at Blackies, then going to the movies. She also remembers the hard work of doing laundry at the creek.
Martha recalls living on a farm with about 20 Alberta peach trees.
“We had so much fruit,” she said. “We would sell it by the bushel!”
They always raised a big garden, although they had no plow and no farm animals. They broke the ground and made rows with a hoe.
Her family walked to church each week. “Folks from long distances would come in their wagons and fill up the churchyard.” Martha’s family didn’t have a wagon or horses, and it was the early 1940s before they got their first car.
She met her late husband, Grover, while living in Dallas. He was a police officer and had a motorcycle.
“I used to ride all around Dallas on the back of his motorcycle,” Martha said.
She remembers that after World War II ended, it seemed everyone in Dallas was celebrating. Martha was still living in Dallas when President John F. Kennedy was killed. They had attended the parade, saw him and the first lady in the convertible, and heard on the radio later that he had been shot soon after the car passed by.
Martha and Grover moved back to Oklahoma and made great memories with their children. They used to spend every Fourth of July camping at Robbers Cave and kayaking. She said her son got a thrill out of turning her kayak over and laughing when she came up gurgling. It was all in fun, and they enjoyed the game.
“One time, the fireworks didn’t go up in the sky before exploding, and everyone was running to get out of the way,” she said with a laugh.
Martha used to play piano at Bethel Church. She still plays at home, and her dog likes to sit at her feet and listen.
Today, Martha has a large family who love her dearly, including six children—Shirley, Joyce, Gerald, Billy, Kay and Mark—21 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
“I love all my children and grandchildren,” she said. “I hope they all will attend church, love and take care of each other.”
According to Martha, she would like to be remembered as being helpful and describes herself as a happy-go-lucky person.
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is honored to share the stories of Choctaw centenarians like Martha Kelley. If you or someone you know is a Choctaw tribal member age 100 or older, please contact Judy Allen at [email protected] or 580.513.7984 to be considered for future stories and projects.