Funeral services for Joe Earl Vinyard, 89, of Chickasha, will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 6, 2017 in the First Christian Church with Reverend Michael Oberlender officiating.
Joe Earl Vinyard was born on August 24, 1927 in Verden, Oklahoma to Pauline Alma (Woolery) Vinyard and Robert Ray Vinyard. He went to be with our Lord Saturday, February 25, 2017 in Chickasha, Oklahoma after many years of suffering from emphysema.
Joe’s family moved to Chickasha in 1942 and he graduated from Chickasha High School in 1945. Joe was a member of the armed forces, U. S. Army, from 1945 until he was honorably discharged in 1947.
Joe then attended Oklahoma City University and began working at Ft. Sill during the Korean War. He worked there until 1958 at which time he started work with the reserve unit of the 95 th Division, where he was an administrative/supply technician. He was a retired civil servant with 37 years of dedicated service. During his tenure with the 95 th Training Division he was cited many times for outstanding civilian service.
Joe was an avid golfer who had three “hole in one’s” on the Chickasha Country Club golf course. At one time, he was a member of the Rotary Club, Chickasha Country Club, and Swingin’ Chicks Square Dance Club. He was also a member and past deacon of the First Christian Church of Chickasha.
He was married to Genevieve Nichols for 40 years prior to her death in 1997. They had one daughter, Cherri, born in 1958. Joe then married Mary Ann Lindsey in August 2000.
Joe was preceded in death by both parents; his first wife, Genevieve; son-in-law, Charles H. Walker; brother, Bobby Vinyard and sister-in-law, Doris Vinyard.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Vinyard of Chickasha; his daughter, Cherri L. Walker, of Helena, Montana; grandson, Brian D. Walker and his son, Josiah Walker, of Helena, Montana; granddaughter, Alecia M. Veach, her husband, Ryan, and their three children, Nathan, Adileigh, and Arilynn, of Ft. Hood, Texas; step-daughter, Brenda Card, her husband, Michael, of Oklahoma City, their two sons, Jonathan of Oklahoma City and Daniel and his wife, Melaney, of Sherman, Texas; step-daughter, Donna Owens and her husband, Alan, and their three children, Trevor, Justin, and Dayna, of Cocoa, Florida.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First Christian Church or Lifeline Hospice.
Interment will be in Rose Hill Cemetery under the direction of Ferguson Funeral Home.