Rhys Martin

Out of high school, I attended TCC for a few months before encountering financial difficulties; I moved to Topeka KS for about two years. I moved back to Tulsa, started working in a call center, and slowly worked up to management. Got married, bought a house. After eight years, I grew tired with corporate America and wanted more, so I sold everything and backpacked internationally for ten months.

I came home a changed person, as you might imagine. Not only did I discover a creative passion (photography, writing) but I was a much more open person. I changed even more when, in the span of two months, I got a divorce, my grandmother succumbed to cancer, and my father died suddenly.

There's a long, gray period in here where I learned even more about myself.

Met my current wife, Samantha, in 2013. Got involved in local Route 66 goings-on and now find myself at the head of a few groups related to that. I wrote a book in 2018 about Lost Tulsa Restaurants. All in all, I'm in a great place.

I moved to B.A. in January of 1988 (First Grade) and was a product of the school system for the rest of my childhood. I went to Vandever Elementary until 5th Grade; I was moved to the brand-new Wolf Creek Elementary and was in their 'first graduating class'.

Sequoyah Middle School was next. I was in OKC with as part of a Tech Ed competition when the bombing happened. The confusion and sadness (we lost a classmate that weekend in an unrelated incident, too) was hard to bear.

South Intermediate was my educational home for two years, then of course off to High School.

I kept to myself for the most part, and although I have a few memories of hassles (as I'm sure we all do) it was mostly pain-free and I enjoyed my time at school.

I've taken a few college courses over the years but nothing organized.