Joe Junior ‘Dude’ Grizzle
Joe Junior ‘Dude’ Grizzle passed away at his home in Spaulding, Oklahoma on Sunday, August 8, 2021, at the age of 80 years.
Joe was the son of Joe Clifford Grizzle and Oletha (Sexton) Grizzle, born on June 24, 1941, at Spaulding, Oklahoma, where the first five years of his life were spent. He moved to Norman and lived there until his sophomore year of high school, then moved to Orange, California, where he joined the U.S. Army in 1961. He met the stringent requirements for serving with the Presidential Honor Guard in Washington D.C. and served until 1963 on the honor detail for President John F. Kennedy.
While serving in Washington, Joe met Geraldine Kay ‘Gerrie’ Whittier and married her on October 17, 1962, at Fort McNair in Washington D.C. Their folks lived 3000 miles apart - hers in Orange, Massachusetts and his in Orange, California, and their three children were born in three different states: Diana in Massachusetts, David in California, and Cliff in Oklahoma.
Following military service, Joe & Gerrie lived in southern California until 1965, and then for a while in Lexington, Oklahoma before moving to Holdenville, where they made their home since 1978. They enjoyed thirty-eight years together before Gerrie passed away on December 20, 2000. Joe later married Rae Marie Byrd, a dear friend since his years spent in Washington DC, and his current wife of twenty years.
Joe was a hard-working man who loved life and loved people. He enjoyed friendship with people he worked with in various occupations, including Gilt Edge Dairy, Purina Feed Store, and the oilfield. He especially enjoyed the twelve years he worked for the City of Holdenville as Lake Superintendent. After meeting and making friends with hundreds of campers from all walks of life, coming and going from all kinds of different places, Joe retired in 2007 but his retirement years were far from idle. He loved animals: cows, horses, pigeons, ducks, goats... he enjoyed taking care of them all on the family farm.
He was an avid fan of all sports in general, an OU and Thunder fan in particular. He enjoyed reading, loved a good game of dominoes, and trading or bartering for a ‘good deal’. Music and dancing brought him pure delight, and every one of his kids and grandkids learned to dance by standing on his toes. He and Rae Marie enjoyed visiting with friends and neighbors at the local hang-outs and loved taking trips and the hilarity that ensued while traveling the country with friends Don and June Chesser and Gary and Ricki Sullivan.
Joe loved his coffee, at Bobbie’s in the evening and June’s in the morning, and thoroughly enjoyed the camaraderie and joking carried on at the slightest opportunity noticed by friends. Like the way Joe fussed when the waitress would put a spoon in his cup, completely unnecessary in his black coffee; which led to Carla never failing to put a spoon in Joe’s cup, and friends like Gary always placing his own spoon in Joe’s cup... which is now one of a host of fond memories for great grandson Kamden, who’s been regularly enjoying the scene since Joe started hauling him to the table 18 years ago in his infant carrier right up until the final day Joe had his last cup of coffee - spoon in cup - at June’s Diner on Thursday, July 8, 2021.
Joe has left behind a legacy of love and laughter, living life to the fullest, and along with it all were matters he took very seriously. Among them were his ‘thing’ about making sure his family understood that no matter what, you always have respect for your mother and for your country; and every day whenever he saw any of his family, he always made a point of telling them he loved them. He was greatly loved, and he will be greatly missed.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Oletha Grizzle; his brother, Lee Grizzle; sister and brother-in-law, Evelyn and Joe Marquis; great-granddaughter Ashley Sanford; and daughter-in-law Valaree Grizzle.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Rae Marie Grizzle, of the home; daughter Diana Garner (Kenny Davis) of Spaulding; sons David Grizzle (Kristyl) of Yukon, and Cliff Grizzle of Holdenville; stepsons Ross Byrd (Ann) of Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Christopher Byrd (Beverly) of Firestone, Colorado; grandchildren Kari Selph (Will), Jana Arnn (Drew Dibler), Kylie Garner (Cody), Zach Buck (Amanda), Chase Grizzle (Autumn), Colin Grizzle, Chelsea Grizzle (Tyler Tucker), Colby Grizzle (Ed Powers), Price Barron, Annmarie Barron, Liam Barron, Ethan Barron, and Colin Barron; step-grandchildren Katelyn Byrd, John Byrd, Ava Byrd, William Byrd, Shandra McNight (Clint), Christina Haub (Nick), and Katie Boyles (Tom); great-grandchildren Kamden, Lilly, Jayzen, Dani, Kaylee, Kinsley, Cody, Raelyn, Taytum, Kennyth, and Andee-Sue; step-great-grandchildren Lizzie, Gracie, Maddie, Sydney, Joanna, and Samantha; Aunt Bessie Allen; sister-in-law Charlene Thompson (Keith); sons-in-law Brian Arnn and Kevin Garner; extended family Randy Orr (Shirley), Lexi Wainscott, Austin Powers, Riley Lucas, Virginia Larney, Darren Almestica (Kaylee), Kaden Morris, and Emily Verbanac; nieces and nephews, other relatives, and many friends.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, August 11th , 10:00 a.m. at Fisher Funeral Home-Lillye Chapel, and Joe was laid to rest with military honors at Holdenville Cemetery. Rev. Kevin Fisher was the officiating minister. Pallbearers were Shane Berry, Tyler Tucker, Ed Powers, Will Self, Drew Dibbler, Mike Dockery, Waylon Ford, and Mark Foster. Honorary pallbearers were Jim Sexton, Randy Orr, Gary Sullivan, Don Chesser, Steve Sanders, and Michael Hamilton.