Martha Fowlkes

Martha Margeret Fowlkes (Margo) was born on September 14, 1936 to George and Agnes Clark in Clydebank Scotland, the second of 4 sisters.

She often told stories of her father who was a machinist and her mother who could make anything with a bit of cloth and a needle. During WWII her father was helping make and repair ships at the port at Clydebank and during the Blitz he sent his wife and all 4 girls to live inland at a country farm, to avoid the bombings. Their family home was destroyed but they all survived and gathered again after the war.

In the 1950s Margo trained as a nurse with an additional midwifery course and was a certified nurse at Glasgow Southern General. Margo also trained at the Braeholm Hospital in Helensburgh, Scotland. She liked to tell the stories of how she would get the call that a woman was in labor and she would call the constable's office. They would send a Bobbie along to pick her up and drop her at the house of the family. She'd deliver the babe, care for the mother and then call them again to give her a ride home. She didn't seem to think it odd at all that she used the local police as her personal taxi service! She said she was a terrible driver and didn't want to ride a bike all the way out into the country when she could ride inside a police car.

Single and unattached, she took travel nursing contracts to work as a nurse-midwife overseas. She took a contract in Aden (Yemen) and had lovely stories to tell about the culture and the food. In 1969 she then took a contract job to travel to America at the New Rochelle Hospital Medical Center in New Rochelle (New York City area), NY. Her mother flew over to visit often and during one of those visits Margo met Stephen Malloy Fowlkes. In 1972 this charming security guard was only working hospital security to make a few extra dollars as his full-time gig was as a recruiter in the United States Air Force. They dated and were married on 10/22/1973. Over a year later in early 1975 she and Steve had their only child - Robert Ian Fowlkes. Robert was the light of her life and she adored him. That same year her mother Agnes moved from their home in the Glasgow, Scotland area to live with Margo and Steve and take full charge of the baby Robert when they were working. Margo and her mother were very close and they stayed living together or nearby each other for most of Robert's childhood. Margo would send her son and mother home to Scotland for the summers and then join them to see family each year.

Margo became a naturalized citizen of the USA later in 1975. In 1979 Margo and Robert were able to join Steve for one of his deployments to England and she was a nurse-midwife at the USAF Hospital on the Lakenheath Airforce Base.

They were shortly back in New York where Margo was quickly employed at Winthrop University Hospital on Long Island. Nana Clark (her mother) got a nearby apartment and was back to being part of their daily lives. Steve was in and out serving his assignments and traveling back and forth as able.

During her medical career in New York Margo was seriously injured on the job which caused her to have several back surgeries and eventually ended her career. She was forced into early retirement but that enabled her and Rob to join Steve on his last few assignments before his 25 year career in the military ended. During their time as a family they lived in Florida, England, South Carolina, and then settled in San Antonio, TX when her husband retired. Her son Robert went to UTSA and was active in the ROTC and playing soccer with a group of guys - Rob's friends still speak fondly of those days of Mrs. Fowlkes plying them with food and insisting they all stay the night as she took care of them.

After her son left home and her mother moved back to the UK Margo continued her yearly pilgrimage to enjoy her sisters, nieces and nephews and the many Lochs (lakes) of the land she called home, Steve and Rob joining her every few years.

Her days in San Antonio were typical of retirement until her son and daughter-in-law Autumn gave her her first Grandchild - Tavish - in 2013. She was SMITTEN. Ian followed only 2 years later in 2015 and she was in grandchild heaven! She took every opportunity to be with "my boys" as she called them, and bragged to anyone who would listen about how handsome and wonderful her grandchildren were. She could often be seen knitting away making them blankets, hats, sweaters and stuffed Star Wars toys. "Nana" was her cherished title, just as her mom's had been.

She started showing some signs of memory loss, but nothing marked until around 2018. In 2019 when Steve had a massive heart event it was revealed that she had been diagnosed with Dementia by the BAMC doctors. It became apparent that she could not care for Steve as he convalesced nor could she be left to fend for herself in their home. Rob and Autumn moved both of them to Oklahoma - Steve to the University Retirement Village where he would spend 4 years and Margo into their home. Nana Margo, while often confused about where she was or what year it was, was always enamored by the kids. She enjoyed getting to know Autumn's family, even living with Autumn's mom Cynthia for a while during the 2020 lockdown and attending Tulsa area family celebrations with Spencer and Trisha (Autumn's brother and SiL) and their children.

During the 4 years she lived with her son and his family 2 of her sisters passed away over in the UK. Though she attended one of their funerals she was not able to fully retain the memory of their passing and would often ask after them to Rob or Autumn. She often spoke of her friends Peggy R and Maureen I, and would speak to them via video call. She'd also speak to her remaining sister Agnes.

After Steve's death in 2022 her family saw a significant decline in her cognitive and physical abilities, and made the decision to seek professional care. Before moving her though, Margo was able to take one last trip "home" to see her sister Agnes and niece Lynn Marie and Paul in Leed, England. Agnes (named for their mother) was also exhibiting signs of dementia and was already in place at a beautiful memory care facility. Margo got to visit with family, share her favorite ferry ride on Loch Lomand with her grandchildren, and see her town of Dumbarton before flying back to the US and moving into Beehive Homes of Glenpool.

She took the move into her "new apartment" in stride and always commented to visitors about how nice the staff at the home were and what a beautiful facility it was. The staff tell stories of her insistence on helping tidy up and how she could calm newly moved in anxious residents...using her caregiving skills until the end.

Margo Fowlkes is survived by her son Robert, daughter-in-law Autumn, grandsons Tavish and Ian, sister-in-law Ann Bobonick & her husband Steve, nieces and nephews across the pond and a bevy of friends new and old who loved that lady.

A viewing and visitation for Margo will be held on Sunday, April 6, 2025 from 12:00 - 1:00 PM at Schaudt's Glenpool-Bixby Funeral Service, 1329 East 151st St. Glenpool, OK 74033.

A funeral service will follow at Schaudt's Glenpool-Bixby Funeral Service, 1329 East 151st St. Glenpool, OK 74033 starting at 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM. You're invited to the reception that will follow after from 2:00 - 4:00 PM at the funeral home.

Arrangements are entrusted to Schaudt's Glenpool-Bixby Funeral Service, 1329 East 151st St. Glenpool, OK 74033. Family and friends may leave kind words of comfort, special memories and condolences to the family online at www.schaudtfuneralservice.com