The story of Jim and Martha Buchanan is a love story. Their love for each other is genuine, unchanging, and strong. But that’s only a part of their story.  The other part is, well, another kind of love story. It’s about loving others: their community, their nation, and even the world. And yes, Sunrise has definitely benefited from their love and generosity.

The best way to understand both love stories is to first learn a little bit about who Jim and Martha are and how their journey together began. Here is an introduction:

Jim was born in 1936 in the small town of Artemus in Knox County. Jim was raised by two loving parents. “I guess I grew up about as poor as anything but did not know it because Mother and Dad lived on a farm, and they raised everything that we had,” Jim said. “They were both school teachers, and they taught in a mining camp.” Jim’s mother would use pot belly stoves in the schools to prepare meals for students between classes. Jim’s father was also a bivocational pastor and would eventually serve as assistant superintendent of the county schools for many years.

His parents’ love for God and for others certainly influenced Jim. At age 12, he had his first job working with the county missionary in Knox County teaching Bible School. Later on, in high school, Jim helped begin a Christian youth organization of all the youth in the county.

After graduating high school, Jim enrolled at Union College, a Methodist college in Barbourville. From there, he went on to pharmacy school at the University of Kentucky, enrolling a year ahead of schedule. While taking pharmacy classes in Louisville, it didn’t take Jim long to get connected to a church, settling in at Walnut Street Baptist. He was quickly selected as the president of the church’s Baptist Young Training Union, where they soon decided to have a hayride. That’s where Martha enters the story.

Like Jim, Martha was a member of Walnut Street Baptist. She explained that the church had a horseshoe balcony where students would fill the seats every Sunday morning. There was a section of high school students, Southern Baptist Seminary students, U of L engineering students, just to name a few, and of course, pharmacy students. From the floor level, Martha spotted Jim sitting with his fellow students in the balcony. She turned to one of her friends and said, “Get me a date with that young guy!”

Martha’s friend introduced Jim to Martha; but before he could go on a date with her, he needed to meet her parents. So, one Wednesday night after church, Jim drove the winding roads to Martha’s house, visited with her parents, and invited Martha to the hayride. She said yes.

Three short years later she said yes again, and the two were married on December 20, 1958. “It’s unusual, but she is the only girl in my life, that I ever dated,” Jim said. “I was his first kiss!” Martha added. “But here’s the fun part, I didn’t find out about that until last year. He never told me.”

There were probably not many secrets they would keep from each other over the years. Instead they eagerly and lovingly walked life’s path hand in hand, having three daughters and even traveling the world together, visiting every U.S. state and all seven continents. While a pharmacist, Jim joined the army reserve, serving just two months shy of 42 years of military experience. He spent eight years in the Pentagon, working for three different Surgeon Generals. He also spent many years serving as a deacon at Walnut Street. Martha worked as a travel agent and always was there to support and encourage her husband.

But as mentioned earlier, their love was not limited to each other or even to their family. They have taken every opportunity to share their love with others. Over the years, they cared for children in the bus ministry at their church and supported mission trips to Haiti and Brazil. Jim and one of his daughters actually traveled together on these mission trips. And then there was the time that they met one of our Sunrise boys . . . .

About 15 years ago, a deacon at Walnut Street Baptist heard about Sunrise and invited some of the Sunrise boys to their Deacon’s Christmas Banquet. One of the boys sat at Jim and Martha’s table.  “He was probably 16 years of age,” said Martha. “He was a handsome young man. Very nice mannered. His mother was a single parent.” Martha and Jim learned from the young man that he had a girlfriend, she was pregnant, and he was wanting to marry this young lady, help raise their child, and join the military. “Mother was trying to do the right thing; the child was trying to do the right thing,” stated Martha. “And you just want to help somebody like that when they’re trying to do what’s right.” Jim added: “It really hit me that this was an organization that I needed to do something for.” And he has.

For many years, Jim and Martha have contributed to community missions, splitting donations to Sunrise and Walnut Street Baptist. “Every day that I’m home I’m collecting either from an office supply, or a school supply, or a drug store,” Jim said. “Right now, I have more than a van load if I put Sunrise and Walnut Street together. I don’t think I can get it all in my van right now!” Jim and Martha, who now live in Lexington, deliver these items personally to Walnut Street and Sunrise about once a month.

Jim explained why he and Martha do what they do: “Those attributes that were given to me, I can’t pay anybody back, so I have to pass it on. That’s how Martha and I have dedicated and determined that’s the way we will live our lives for the rest of time.” Martha added: “That’s maybe the reason we’re here so long!”

(To be continued . . . .)

Written by David Lyninger, Sunrise Director of Communications