Joe Bob Kitching Jr.

Joe Bob Kitching Jr. was known as many things to many people. He was a loved one, a friend, and someone special. To family and friends who knew him best, Joe will be remembered as a very exceptional person.

       He was the son of Joe and Maggie "Becky" Kitching. Joe grew up in West Texas.

      Joe was raised with four siblings. He had three sisters and one brother. Joe was usually involved in all sorts of activities with his siblings. He and his siblings experienced rivalries typical of a growing family, but they shared many life experiences over the years.

      As a young boy, Joe had a number of interests. Like most children, he enjoyed playing and making up games. He was curious about the world around him and was often eager to explore it. He was a Eagle Scout. However, to Joe, the most fun to be had was simply playing and spending time with his friends.

      A typical teenager, Joe had a fairly happy high school experience, making that critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. He graduated from Ray High School in 1963. He enjoyed some classes more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers.

       Empathic and loyal, Joe was committed to making his new family happy.

      Joe worked hard to be a good father to his children and he did his best to fulfill their needs. Joe was blessed with five children, Steven, Michael, Travis, Jon, and Stacy. Another blessing for Joe was the gift of sixteen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, Brent, Amanda, Lacey, Katelyn, Emily, Lauren, Erin, Lindsay, Bella, Kristen, Tanner, Tyler, London, Austin, Jake, Grant, Natalie, Wylie, Haley, and Ryer.

      Fortunately, Joe enjoyed what he did for a living. Showing a strong work ethic, Joe worked diligently and did his best to succeed in his career. His primary occupation was in management for American Airlines. Joe always sought to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

      When Joe’s retirement finally arrived in 2002, he was well prepared. In retirement, he found new pleasure in traveling the country with is wife Jacque. Even in retirement, Joe continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. Joe was active in his new community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered him.

      Joe passed away on March 2, 2016 in Granbury, Texas. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Jacquelin Ruth Kitching of Granbury; sister, Becky Kitching Moeller of Corpus Christi; brother, John T Kitching and wife, Sue, of Discovery Bay, Calif.; sons, Steven Paul Kitching and wife, Angela, of Keller, Michael Joe Kitching and wife, Angela, of Florence, Ala., Travis Lake of Keller and Jon Tyler Lake and wife, Jamie, of Colleyville; daughter, Stacy Lake Dannels and husband, Charles Gaddy, of Grapevine; grandchildren, Brent Holland, Amanda Barton and husband, Nick, Lacey Kitching and husband, Byron Jamas, Katelyn Jones, Emily Jo Reathford and husband, Tyler, Lauren Kitching, Erin Kitching, Lindsay Kitching, Bella Gaddy, Kristen Gaddy, Tanner Lake, Tyler Lake, London Lake, Austin Lake, Jake Burk and Grant Burk; great-grandchildren, Natalie Chidoni, Wylie Barton, Haley James and Ryder James; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. Services were held at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home Memorial Chapel.

      Simply stated, Joe was a good and kind person, an individual who will for all time be remembered by his family and friends as being a caring and giving person, someone who was a vital part of their lives. Joe leaves behind him a legacy of life-long friendships and many cherished memories. Everyone whose life he touched will always remember Joe Bob Kitching Jr.

* * * * * * * * * *

GRANBURY -- Joe Bob Kitching Jr., 72, of Granbury peacefully went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, March 2, 2016, with his family by his side. Memorial service: 12:30 p.m. Saturday in Bluebonnet Hills Memorial Park, 5275 Colleyville Blvd., Colleyville. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Bluebonnet Hills. Memorials: A memorial has been established in memory of Joe B. Kitching. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children are encouraged, online at community.tsrhc.org, or call 214-559-7605. Joe was born in Elida, N.M., on Oct. 24, 1943, while his father was overseas during World War II in the U.S. Army Cavalry. After his father returned from the war when Joe was 2, the family moved to Big Spring. His mother was a corporate accountant for many years. Joe was an Eagle Scout growing up in West Texas. He started working for his father who had taught himself electrical work. He then taught Joe, who became the youngest licensed journeyman electrician in Texas. Relocating again to Corpus Christi in the early 1960s, Joe graduated from Ray High School in 1963 and attended Del Mar College. In Corpus Christi, Joe learned the trades of the hotel business. He moved his family to Dallas, managing facilities at The Royal Coach Inn on Northwest Highway, close to Love Field. The Royal Coach is where Braniff Airways originally held its flight attendant training, the beginning of Joe's involvement in aviation. This later led to a move to Miami to join American Airlines in managing the facilities at The Americana Inn at Bal Harbour, Fla., a property owned and operated by American Airlines. When American moved its headquarters from New York to Fort Worth, Joe managed the construction of the new facilities at the Training Center south of DFW Airport. Joe went on to manage the construction of a multitude of projects for American, including many reservations centers, airport terminals, the maintenance bases at Tulsa and Fort Worth Alliance airports and Miami International Airport. Upon retirement from American in 2002, Joe traveled the country in his motorhome with his wife, Jacque, until he decided that he had more to offer in the construction industry. He then accepted an upper management position with Austin Commercial, a national general contractor, which has done many projects for American Airlines. While at Austin, his impact was far and wide, managing many projects including many web server farm projects on Navy bases across the country, many projects in Miami/Dade County and culminating in the Terminal B project for Sacramento International Airport. My Rough-Tough Cream Puff - I Love You! Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Joe Bob Kitching Sr. and Maggie "Becky" Southard Kitching; and sisters, Billie Kitching Horrell and Sue Kitching Dobbs. Survivors: His wife of 29 years, Jacquelin Ruth Kitching of Granbury; sister, Becky Kitching Moeller of Corpus Christi; brother, John T Kitching and wife, Sue, of Discovery Bay, Calif.; sons, Steven Paul Kitching and wife, Angela, of Keller, Michael Joe Kitching and wife, Angela, of Florence, Ala., Travis Lake of Keller and Jon Tyler Lake and wife, Jamie, of Colleyville; daughter, Stacy Lake Dannels and husband, Charles Gaddy, of Grapevine; grandchildren, Brent Holland, Amanda Barton and husband, Nick, Lacey Kitching and husband, Byron Jamas, Katelyn Jones, Emily Jo Reathford and husband, Tyler, Lauren Kitching, Erin Kitching, Lindsay Kitching, Bella Gaddy, Kristen Gaddy, Tanner Lake, Tyler Lake, London Lake, Austin Lake, Jake Burk and Grant Burk; great-grandchildren, Natalie Chidoni, Wylie Barton, Haley James and Ryder James; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. He is remembered dearly by many, many friends, all of whom were dear to him and are very dear to the family.