Rhonda Lou Martin
Graveside services for Rhonda Lou Martin, 77, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, February 7, 2026, at Howell Memorial Park Cemetery, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.
Rhonda went home peacefully January 22, 2026, surrounded by the comfort of her own home.
She was born August 9, 1948, in West Plains, Missouri, to Ronald Longnecker Sr. and Opal Pauline (Dixon) Longnecker. On September 17, 1966, Rhonda married the love of her life, Gary Martin, also in West Plains. What followed was nearly sixty years of faithful partnership, shared work, shared laughter, and a deep, steady love that shaped their family and everyone who knew them. Rhonda had a rare gift for loving people well. Her home was a place of warmth, good food, and easy conversation. She found joy in gardening, cooking, and canning, and she delighted in feeding others, because to Rhonda, feeding people was a form of love. Hosting, entertaining, and visiting with friends and family came naturally to her, and no one ever left her table feeling like a stranger. Known affectionately as “Big Lou” and the “Green Bean Queen,” her generosity matched her personality, full, joyful, and inviting. For 51 years, Rhonda worked faithfully alongside Gary in Martin’s Auto Sales, serving not just as a business partner, but as a steady and trusted presence behind the scenes. Her dedication to her family and their work never wavered. Above all else, Rhonda loved her family. She was a devoted wife, a loving mother, and a proud grandmother who took genuine delight in her grandchildren. Her kindness, consistency, and sincere interest in others left a lasting mark on everyone she encountered. Rhonda was a faithful member of Missouri Avenue Church of Christ, where she found community, worship, and lifelong friendships.
She is survived by her husband, Gary Martin; three children, Brian Martin and wife, Shelley, Brent Martin and wife, Kim, and Laura Hopkins and husband, Danny; nine grandchildren, Logan, Averie, Ripley, Chaney, Jade, Linkin, Munroe, Afton, Harper; one great-grandchild, Riggs, and one on the way; one brother, Ricky Longnecker and wife, Toby; one sister, Katherine McMillan; one sister-in-law, Barbara Longnecker, and several nieces and nephews.
Her parents, and two brothers, Terry Longnecker, and Ronald Longnecker, Jr., preceded her in death.
Visitation will be held from 12:00 noon until 1:30 p.m., Saturday, February 7, in the Langston Street Chapel of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Bridges, and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 W. Main St., West Plains, Missouri.