Martha “Marti” Frances Evans, 78, passed away peacefully on March 14, 2026, in Joplin, Missouri, surrounded by the love of her family.

Martha was born October 14, 1947, in Grovespring, Missouri, to George and Lois King. She grew up a true farm girl. Though her family moved several times throughout her childhood, her love for farm life and animals never changed. She had a soft heart for every creature, especially strays that wandered up needing care. Among the many animals she loved over the years was a miniature donkey that held a special place in her heart.

Music and dancing were woven deeply into Martha’s life from an early age. Every Saturday evening, her father would clear out the dining room so Martha and her siblings could dance together. They filled the room with laughter as they practiced the twist, the Charleston, the jive, and many other dances. That love of dancing stayed with her throughout her entire life.

Martha graduated from Milford High School in 1965 and briefly attended nursing school. She always had a natural gift for caring for others, especially children. She often joked that if she had become a nurse, she might have had to come home with the babies she would have cared for.

A devoted and determined single mother for many years, Martha worked a variety of jobs while raising her children, showing a strength and resilience that defined her life. She spent many years waitressing, working hard until she simply could not anymore. Through all of life’s challenges, she never lost her love for dancing. She could often be found at Elk Creek in Cabool on the weekends, wearing her cowboy boots and dancing the night away, sometimes until the heels wore right off them.

Martha also loved dressing up, always making sure everything was in its proper place. She carried deep pride in her Cherokee heritage and held that part of her identity close to her heart throughout her life.

She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Lois King; and her siblings, Carrie Jane Peek, George Andrew King, and Bobby Lee King.

Martha is survived by her husband, Bill Evans; her beloved children, Charlie Hendrix, John Hendrix and his wife Shelly, and Teresa Hendrix-Plowman; her siblings, Bill King; Marie Mills and her husband Harvey; Mary Carnelison; Kathy Palmer and her husband Rick; Richard King and his wife Alice; Connie Maggard and her husband Terry; and Patti Sevy; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

She also leaves behind her cherished grandchildren, Christopher Woodward and Matrissa Plowman; and her treasured great-grandchildren, Cindy Kay Koch, Anakin Lovan, and Wintress Lovan.

Martha will be remembered for her strength, her love of family, her compassion for animals, and the joy she found in dancing. Her spirit, laughter, and the sound of her boots on a dance floor will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.