Funeral services for Big Joe Drywater will be held on Wednesday, August 22nd, 2018 at 11:00 AM at Reed-Culver Chapel with Pastor Todd Dowty officiating. Big Joe’s visitation will be on Tuesday, August 21st, 2018 at Reed-Culver from noon until 6:00 Pm. His final resting place will be with his family at Barber Cemetery. Online condolences for his family may be left at www.reedculver.com.
Pallbearers for Big Joe include Trevor Wildcat, Michael Holmes, Chad Monday, Bossy Drywater, Matt Daniels, Bodee Drywater and Chris Holmes. His honorary pallbearers include James Wildcat, Rufus Hooper, Jim Holmes, Charlie Wildcat, Jesse Grayson and Lucas Wildcat.
Big Joe Drywater, or Joe to his family and friends, a first language Cherokee speaker, was born on September 15th, 1962 in Tahlequah, OK, the son of Kyser and Mary (Hooper) Drywater. He grew up with a brother, Roy Christie and two sisters, Josephine Eliza and Annie Sue. He graduated high school and then began college at OU on a baseball scholarship. He loved baseball, and was a gifted pitcher. He was also talented with softball, and avid golfer, and one of the biggest supporters of OU football, he never missed a game. He was the friend everyone depended on for support, and to share a good laugh with. He never met a stranger. The holidays were always the perfect time to gather with his family, he cherished every moment he had with them. He worked as a truck and tractor driver for Greenleaf Nursery, and loved the people he worked with. He passed from this life on Thursday, August 16th, 2018 in Muskogee, OK at the age of 55 years. He will be greatly missed by all those knew and loved him.
He is preceded in death by his mother, father, brother, Roy, his sisters, Eliza Josephine Glass and Annie Sue Wildcat, and one brother, Andy Drywater. He is survived by his many nieces, nephews, cousins, as well as a host of friends and loved ones.
He is survived by his half-brother, Sam Christie of Sallisaw, OK along with numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends and loved ones.
