Bonnie Walkingstick was named Chandler’s Citizen of the Year and senior Presley Martzall was awarded a scholarship last week at the Chamber of Commerce banquet last week.
“She can best be described as a strong-willed woman that is always looking for ways to help others,” read the introduction to her award. “A doer, not a talker. When she comes up with an idea, she doesn’t stop until it is implemented.”
She is retired from a 40-plus-year career in the insurance industry, where she started as a file clerk and became branch manager of a major insurance company. She was the first woman to be a branch manager in Oklahoma.
She was a hard-working, no-nonsense kind of boss who expected her staff to work as hard as she did. She knew she was a woman in a man’s world, and was determined to change the stereotype.
In her early years, when she approached her oldfashioned male boss about women wearing pants in the office, he was adamant that it wasn’t going to happen. He told her that the only way a woman was going to wear pants in the office was if she wore a suit and tie. He soon realized she could meet that challenge when she showed up wearing a pantsuit and a tie. The office was changed forever.
She has been a strong believer in women helping women and she has demonstrated that in her career when she stood up to authority for what she knew to be true and just. She mentored many women and formed longlasting friendships.
She serves as a member of the event planning committee for the Route 66 Interpretive Center and has been involved with The Chosen House for more than 10 years, serving as a board member.
In 2016, she established Gypsy Corner boutique, which has been described as the most colorful shop in town. When COVID caused the shut-down of many businesses, she decided she was bored and created a second store.
She and her husband, Ben, give generously to their community and have established scholarship funds at OU and Seminole State College. Students also may use the Ben and Bonnie Walkingstick Student Services Center.
Bonnie was born in Checotah and graduated from Owasso High School.
She married Ben Walkingstick in 1988 and moved to Chandler. She is the mother to a heavenly daughter, Kimmie; a son, Stan (Smitty); and a stepmother to Jeff, Judy and
Janet. She is the grandmother to 14 and greatgrandmother to 16 and is the most beloved sister to her siblings.
Presley is the daughter of Edie Martzall and the late Chaiyo Martzall. She holds a 4.0 GPA while taking advanced classes in English for five years. She is a member of the Oklahoma Honor Society and was chosen as a delegate for Oklahoma Girls State.
Presley has earned an invitation to the Academic Banquet for six years and received Academic Excellence Awards in Geometry, Algebra I, Algebra II and Chemistry.
She was a Rotary Youth Leadership Award recipient and was selected to serve on the BancFirst Student Board of Directors. She was most recently named the Chandler Area Chamber of Commerce Scholarship winner.
Presley was co-captain of CHS Varsity Cheer, qualifying for All-Region and the Universal Cheerleaders Association Cheer All-American. She is senior captain in basketball, participated in slow-pitch and fast-pitch softball and track. She is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Her leadership abilities were evident while serving as student council reporter and as a leader in Postponing Sexual Involvement and Positive Peers. She was also involved in Future Farmers of America and Stunt and is a four-year Title 6 Indian National Member.
Presley served the community through the Chandler Community Recycling Program; Family, Career and Community Leaders of America donations; Relay for Life; and the Chandler Area Chamber of Com merce. She collected food for the food bank and gifts for those in need at Christmas among other service projects.
She has worked at Ms. Edie’s Home Daycare during high school and following graduation, plans to attend the University of Oklahoma in Norman for undergraduate schooling with a major in Nursing and Pre-Med Science. Her goal is to attend medical school to become a Travel Nurse Anesthetist.