Johnny Brassfield, Jr. left his earthly home on June 13, 2023 at the age of 93. He was born on April 16, 1930 in Davis, Oklahoma to Johnie Brassfield Sr. and Lena May Brassfield.
In his early years, he went with his family to San Diego during the war effort where he lived on Pacific Beach and attended school. Johnny returned to Oklahoma in his teens and met Mary, the love of his life, on Main Street in Ada. Johnny loved fast motorcycles, boats, and cars and once tried to see how fast he could go down Main Street in Ada, after which he was on a first name basis with an Ada PD officer Ott. He said Ott liked to bait him into telling the new modifications on his fast car, and then issue tickets later. Johnny often joked with all that he knew that school had too many recesses and he was just going to go be an auto mechanic. He followed in the footsteps of his father and became an auto mechanic, owning his own garage on 12th street where he maintained a successful business and played numerous pranks on his many friends. He had numerous legitimate educational certificates of completion, one of which authorized him as a certified “Doctor of the Internal Combustion Engine ''. He was quite proficient at making anything run like a top and was well known for his ability to rebuild carburetors and have them perfectly tuned before leaving his work bench! Johnny built many hot rods and once built the “flying zero” race car and raced it locally. He always laughed and said he was really good at making “little bitty circles“ while racing. Once in the late 60’s on a trip to California he saw numerous speed boats running up and down a river and decided he just had to have one. He ordered a Sanger flatbottom drag boat hull, and put the boat together with his friend Max Baker in OKC. The boat was christened the “Brassmonkey” in 1969 and is still used on many family trips to the lake today. He loved motorcycles and took part in observed trials, racing hare scrambles, and motocross and was particularly fond of Bultacos as his race bike of choice. Johnny was dedicated to his family and loved taking his kids on adventures across the country, either in his El Camino or pickup and camper. Lots of time was spent at the lake and race tracks over the years, always with family and friends in tow. Sundays always meant going to church with a motorcycle loaded in the bed of his El Camino, and then taking the kids to the race track afterwards.
Years passed as he continued to work, play, and raise his family. Early in 1978 Johnny was diagnosed with lung cancer and God’s providence allowed him to continue to excel in life despite having one lung and asthma. During the 90’s, he and Mary started watching Jordan “tater-tot” and entered his “Papa” era. He enjoyed taking Jordan to get treats and to the “Liars Club”, the local meeting of the minds at Ike Bray’s shop where all of his buddys hung out. He spent time at the donut shop where he met old friends and made new ones. He was a great storyteller and loved to regale his girls with funny stories from his many adventures. In the last several years, he started a list of all the sayings he had ever used so he could work them into conversation, much to everyone’s amusement. Johnny retained a great sense of humor and always a sense of wonder about the world. He was a voracious reader, amateur guitarist and music aficionado in his later years. One of his favorite pastimes became tracking his kids and grandkids with his iphone. Then came all the questions about why everyone was always on the go.....much like he had been in his younger years.
Johnny was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Mary Magdalene Brassfield. He is survived by his children and their spouses: Jim Brassfield, Judy and Brian Brooks, Janet and Rob Bianchi and J. Shawn and Melissa Brassfield, six grandchildren: Dion Brassfield, Kim Baird, Jordan and Alex Battles-Wood, Allie Bianchi, Jillian and Joelly Brassfield, great grandchildren: Chase, Trevor, Brittney, Brinn, and Kelsey, 8 great great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews, and his sister Dee Bevers of Ada, Oklahoma.
Celebration of his life will be Monday, June 19th, 11:00 a.m., at Morris Memorial Baptist Church. Graveside services to follow at Memorial Park Cemetery. Family and friends visitation is Sunday, June 18th, 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Criswell Funeral Home.
Pallbearers are Michael Brundidge, Russell Brundidge, Ted Burns, Dennis Cavins, David Henderson, Mike Latimer, and Sandy Schutte. Honorary pallbearers are Gene Boiles, LaTova Bryan, Charlie Forehand, Jim Hamby, Tommy Key, James Kirkpatrick, C.L. Maddon, Chip McNutt, Danny McNutt, Dee Moore, Mark Reed, Mack Smith, and Bill Snyder.
Criswell Funeral Home
