Joe Thomas Bourne

Joe Thomas Bourne, 86, passed away peacefully at home on February 28, 2026, surrounded by his family after a short but hard-fought battle with cancer. He faced his diagnosis with grit, unwavering optimism, and a tenacious will to live; he believed he could beat it, and he fought like a man who intended to. His love for life never dimmed.

Joe was born on November 18, 1939, in Detroit, Texas, to Tommie Dee and Laval Arwood Bourne. The oldest of three, he grew up alongside his sister, Anita - whom he affectionately nicknamed Nikki - and his brother, Jimmy. His childhood was filled with laughter, mischief, and the steady love of a mother whose joyful spirit shaped his own.

He graduated from Duncanville High School in 1957 and soon after answered the call to serve his country in the United States Army. He later began his career at Braniff Airlines while continuing to serve honorably in the Army Reserve for several years. He worked hard, and played harder. Wild at heart, he once drove a car off the Galveston seawall and lived to tell the tale.

At 23, he met the only woman who could keep him in line - the love of his life, Wanda Gail Anderson, at the Lone Star Drive-In in Dallas, Texas. They were married on July 13, 1963, beginning a 63-year love story. Together, they planted deep roots on Wanda’s mother’s land in Seagoville, Texas, where they raised their three children, Rhonda, Damon, and Tammy, with love and room to grow. Their front door was always open, their coffee strong and conversation stronger; anyone who needed a place to belong could find it there. Many did, and still do.

Joe loved his home, but he was never one to sit still for long. After Braniff’s closure, he found his stride in the trucking industry, driving his 18-wheeler across all 50 states. The road suited him, offering adventure, independence, and stories he was always ready to tell. He could often be seen with the windows down, a Marlboro Light 100 at the corner of his mouth, his gold Texas chain resting on his chest, and his black Ray-Ban aviators firmly in place.

There’s no telling how many miles he traveled over the years, but he would have told you it wasn’t enough.

Family was always Joe’s priority, but adventure was never far behind. He and Wanda chased sunshine on beaches in Mexico, Hawaii, and South Padre Island, and just as eagerly chased their favorite slot machines in Las Vegas - sometimes just the two of them, often with children and grandchildren in tow. Joe believed life was best lived together.

Joe will be remembered as one of a kind, steady, dependable, and undeniably cool. He told stories like they were treasures and laughed like he meant it. He carried a joke in his pocket and a memory sharp enough to make every tale better the second time around. He never met a stranger, or a casino he didn’t think was worth a visit, and he lived life with a glass-half-full attitude.

He loved junk food, a good Mexican enchilada dinner, a drag of a Marlboro Light, a hot cup of coffee, and an ice-cold Coke. He trusted his kids and grandkids behind the wheel long before their mothers did. He bought them way too many cars and way too many horses, and somehow made it all work. He wore Wranglers and cowboy boots like a uniform and refused to wear swim trunks, choosing cut-off Wranglers instead.

Joe lived not for what he could gain, but for what he could give. He didn’t stress much. He didn’t worry out loud. He just showed up - for Wanda and for his family. To the women in his life, he was “The King” - not because he demanded it, but because he earned it.

He worked hard. He loved harder. He lived on his own terms.

There will never be another like Joe Thomas Bourne.

“On the road again, going places that I've never been, seeing things that I may never see again, and I can't wait to get on the road again.”

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Laval Arwood Bourne and Tommie Dee Bourne; his sister, Anita (Nikki) Glass; his brother, Jimmy Bourne; and his beloved son, Damon Thomas Bourne.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Wanda Bourne; his two daughters, Rhonda White and her husband Layton, and Tammy de la Garza and her husband Leland; and his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren listed oldest to youngest: Misty Moseley, Denna Sayles and her husband Micah, Aleah Fenwick and her husband Rowdy, Brianna Shipp and her husband Harrison, Ethan de la Garza, Madden Haynes, Elle de la Garza, Jaylea White, Emily Bautista, Jaxon Moseley, Everly Moseley, Beckett Fenwick, Parker Fenwick, and Stevie June Fenwick.

The family will hold a private celebration of life. Those who wish to honor Joe’s memory may send flowers, food, cards, or other expressions of sympathy to his beloved wife, Wanda. Please text 214-762-2791 to coordinate delivery. In keeping with Joe’s generous spirit, memorial donations may also be made in his honor to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a cause he faithfully supported each month, or to the March of Dimes, an organization especially meaningful to him and Wanda.

Written in honor & with love by his granddaughter Brianna Shipp.