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Joe James Garrison
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ŠThe Stilwell Democrat Journal
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Submitted by Jan Grooms
Joe James Garrison was born on December 10, 1935 and grew up in his parents’ rural Stilwell home.
From his early days, you couldn’t keep Joe away from his love of western swing and country western music. At age four he was dancing in the kitchen every noon hour when Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys came on KVOO radio. Decades later he was washing, starching, and ironing his clothes so he could afford to go to Saturday night dances in Tulsa. He was still dancing to Bob Wills music at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa five weeks before he died at home April 16, 2019 at the age of 83.
In 1953 he enrolled in NEO A&M College in Miami. He didn’t have a car, but he had fun. lots of new friends, playing a trombone in the marching band and dancing on Saturday nights. After getting an elementary education degree from Northeastern State College, he became a field man for the state Department of Human Services in Stilwell. He traveled the backroads to see people who desperately needed what little assistance was available. He worked for DHS for decades in various Oklahoma cities.
Bored with office work, in the 1970s he bought a Delta music franchise in Texas, driving 100,000 miles a year selling eight-track tapes at truck stops.
In the early 1980s he started selling boots, on commission, at western wear stores in Oklahoma City. He loved it. He quickly became an expert and developed a following. He is remembered fondly as the Boot Man.
Joe became friends with Bob Wills’ brother Johnnie Lee Wills. In 1980, he convinced Johnnie Lee to record one more LP. The result was “Dance All Night with Johnnie Lee Wills and his Boys.” Joe was a producer.
His other love was University of Oklahoma football. For 60 years he coached all the broadcast games from his living room, shouting “Go. Go. Go.” In his 70s a dream came true: He met Coach Barry Switzer, shook his hand and said “Thanks for the memories.”
Divorced and living alone near Oklahoma City, he had given up on dating by 2000. Then one morning he saw a story in the Oklahoman that a friend had died. Joe called the widow, Pearl, to express his condolences. Six months later on April 29, 2001 they married. Or as he said, “Along came Pearl.” On their first date they danced in his kitchen to the music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys. The marriage brought out the best in both of them. It was an 18-year-love affair with. disagreements, but never a cross word: road trips, antiquing, eating out, and tending to their five acres of prairie west of Sperry. They enjoyed sitting on their patio, especially on the Fourth of July when they and friends watched the firework shows from miles away.
Their first challenge came in May 2016 when he was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. Their last dance was in their kitchen to the music of Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys.
He is preceded in death by his parents James and Marqurite Crozier Garrison, infant brother Billy Jack, and nephew Michael Garrison.
He is survived by Pearl of the home, daughter Kathy Jo Padgitt and husband Will of Claremore, daughter Sharon and husband Craig Brandes of Twin Lake, Mich., grandchildren Willie and Rob Padgitt of Claremore, Matthew Johnson of Montague, Mich., and Madeline Johnson of Muskegon, Mich., brother Jerry, wife Shirley and nephew Jerry Ed Garrison of Stilwell, great-grandchildren and all friends who knew his laughter and love of life.
Viewing will be held Saturday April 20, 2019 from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. at Moore’s Rosewood Chapel 2570 S. Harvard Ave. in Tulsa.
Funeral Service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, April 22, 2019 at Grace Lutheran Church in Tulsa with interment to follow at 3:00 p.m. at Stilwell City Cemetery.
Memorials may be given to the Lewy Body Dementia Association and Grace Lutheran Church of Tulsa.
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