Verle Martens, 66, of Hooker, Oklahoma passed away Sunday, October 30, 2011 at Baptist St. Anthony Hospital in Amarillo, Texas.

Verle was born December 24, 1944 in Liberal, Kansas, the son of Eugene Frank and Eldena Winters Martens. He attended school in Adams and later Hooker, graduating from Hooker High School with the Class of 1963. He attended school at Panhandle State University in Goodwell, Oklahoma where he played football. He then entered the US Army serving in Vietnam. After his discharge he attended Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas. He was awarded a bachelors degree in Business Administration.

Verle was united in marriage to Zella Bess Voiles on December 30, 1972 in Hooker, Oklahoma.

Verle worked for First National Bank in Hooker and they opened the Glockenspiel Restaurant in Hooker. They later moved to La Junta, Colorado where he worked in the bank and farmed for ten years. They moved back to Hooker where he farmed and was an oil and gas consultant. He served as director of the Frank Parks Foundation.

Verle was a member of the United Methodist Church, NRA, Lion’s Club, Elks, American Legion and held a private pilot’s license.

Preceding him in death was his father, Eugene.

Survivors include his wife, Zella of Hooker; his mother, Eldena Martens of Enid, Oklahoma; three sons, Todd Martens of Austin, Texas, Wiley Martens and his wife Kaley of Hooker, Oklahoma, Matt Martens and his wife, Kayla of Hooker, Oklahoma; brother, Stan Martens and his wife LaVida of Tulsa, Oklahoma; eight grandchildren, Morgan, Madison, Frankie, Kleat, Gunnar, Montana, Brook and Faith.

Funeral service will be at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, November 3, 2011 at the Hooker High School Auditorium in Hooker, Oklahoma with Rev. Jerry Raab and Rev. Les Bussell officiating. Interment will be in the Hooker Cemetery directed by Roberts Brothers Funeral Home, Inc. in Hooker, Oklahoma.

Memorials are suggest to the Hooker Golf Course or the Harrington Cancer Center and may be left at Roberts Brothers Funeral Home, Box 745, Hooker, Oklahoma, 73945.

The family wishes for friends to share their fond memories of Verle with the family. These memories may be emailed to [email protected] , or put on the funeral home website or mailed to the funeral home.

Condolences may be left at www.robertsbrothersfuneralhome.com