Joe Grayson Jr.

Funeral services for Joe Grayson Jr will be held on Monday, March 2nd, 2020 at 10:00 AM at the Sequoyah High School Gym in Tahlequah with Pastor DJ McCarter officiating and speakers, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation Chuck Hoskin Jr., former Principal Chief Chad Smith and Dwayne Marshall. Joe will have a visitation at Reed-Culver Funeral Home on Sunday, March 1st, 2020 beginning at 2:00 PM, with his family in attendance beginning at 4:00 PM until 6:00 PM. He will be laid to rest on Monday at Tahlequah City Cemetery in Tahlequah. Online condolences for his family may be left at www.reedculver.com.

Pallbearers for Joe include Jessie Grayson, Justin Grayson, Brandon Caruso, Roy Lowery, Corey Bunch, and James Armontrout.

Joe Grayson Jr was born on Thursday, May 20th, 1948, in Tahlequah, OK, the son of Joe and Charlotte (Robin) Grayson Sr. He would be joined later by six brothers and four sisters, Sammy, Stanley, Patricia, Webster, Sean, Roberta, Noel, Matthew, Mary Ellen and Linda. He attended school and graduated in Tahlequah, and had begun his university studies when the Vietnam War required his services, and called him to serve. He served in the US Army faithfully from January 4th, 1968 until his Honorable Discharge in December 30th, 1970. He was proud of his service to his country and even more proud of his Cherokee Heritage, that enabled him to serve those around him with dignity, honor and respect for all people. He was to meet and marry the love of his life and his best friend, Gwendolyn Kay Hogan on January 11th, 1980 in Eureka Springs, AR. Together they would raise a family of four sons and one daughter, Joe III, Grant, Aaron, Stuart, and Mary Charlotte. Joe was a man of the people and served as the Deputy Chief of the Cherokee People from 2003 until 2011. He was always there, listening to their stories, offering advice, giving council, working in any way he could to help where he could. The Cherokee people were always first and foremost on his mind. When his work was done, Joe loved any time spent with his wife, kids and grandkids. He was so very proud of his grandchildren and considered himself their biggest fan. He loved hunting deer, going fishing, and gunsmithing. He restored classic cars and was recently working on a 1993 Jaguar. He was proud of his military service and kept up with fellow service members in the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. You only had to spend five minutes with Joe to realize he was a fond of people. He liked to share a cup of coffee and hear what was going in the town. He liked hearing about the kids in school and the events that were coming up. He possessed a wonderful sense of humor, and a great smile. He always had time to make you feel like you were important to Joe. His wife passed from this life in 2017. Joe did his best to keep busy. His health began to fail him and he passed from this life on Tuesday, February 25th, 2020 at his home in Tahlequah, OK, surrounded by the family he loved so much. He was 71 years old. He leaves a legacy of caring for his country, his community, and his family.

He is preceded in death by his maternal grandmother, Anna Robin, his mother and father, Joe and Charlotte (Robin) Grayson Sr., and his brothers and sisters, Sammy Grayson, Stanley Grayson, Sean Grayson, Matthew Grayson, Patricia Oosahwee, and Roberta Grayson.

The family he leaves to carry on his legacy include his children, Joe Grayson III of Little Rock, AR, Grant Grayson of Poteau, OK, Aaron Lemaster of Tahlequah, OK, Stuart Grayson and wife Shayla of Tahlequah, OK, and Mary Charlotte Grayson of Washington, DC. He is survived by his two brothers and two sisters, Webster Grayson and wife Debbie of Tahlequah, OK, Noel Grayson and wife Carrie of Tahlequah, OK, Linda Charlene Grayson-Patton and husband Dewayne of Porum, OK, and Mary Ellen Grayson. Joe lives on in his three adored granddaughters, Lyla June Grayson, Anna Kay Grayson and Charlotte Riley Grayson all of Tahlequah. He also leaves his Aunts, Virginia Aparicio of California and Connie Groves and husband Eddie of Tulsa, OK, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends and loved ones too numerous to mention.