Remembering Vernon Dee Martin

Vernon Dee Martin was born in 1942 in Cushing, Oklahoma to John Vernon and Julia Anderson Martin. He peacefully passed away on June 12, 2021, in the company of his wife and children. He was 78 years old.

He grew up in Chickasha, Oklahoma and would earn his Bachelors of Business from Oklahoma State University in 1965 and his Master of Regional and City Planning from the University of Oklahoma in 1967. He would then go on to become one of the nation’s premier regional planners.

In 1968, he married his wife, Kanda Kirkwood Martin. They then moved to St. Simons Island, Georgia, the following year. Here, he worked with the Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center. He would become executive director, serving for 40 years and directing technical and management services to local governments.

He was a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), the International City and County Management Association, and the Society of Human Resources Management. He was also elected president of the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO), vice president of the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC), and the Georgia representative of the National Executive Director’s Advisor Committee of NARC. He was the only person to ever receive National Executive Directors Awards from both NADO and NARC.

He proudly served in the Georgia Army and Georgia Air National Guards. He would also serve as an officer of the Golden Isles chapter of the Military Officers Association of America. He retired from the military after 40 years of service at the rank of Colonel, USAF Reserves.  

He enjoyed traveling with his wife during retirement as well as riding his Harley Davidson through the Southeast and Southwest. He enjoyed running road races and eventually became an avid road cyclist as well.  

Vernon is survived by his wife of 53 years, Kanda, and his children, Paige (children Parker, Vivian and William) and Kirk (wife, Malia, and children, Caroline and Woody). He is also survived by his sister, Judy Ostervold (husband, Lars) and brother-in-law, Bill Kirkwood, as well as his extended family throughout Oklahoma.

Donations may be made to GHC Hospice, 141 S. Macon St., Jesup, GA 31545; OSU Posse Club, 102 Athletics Center, Stillwater, OK 74082; or the Golden Isles Military Officers Association of America Scholarship, P.O. Box 21186, St. Simons Island, GA 31522.