John F. Tyree Jr.

Funeral services will be held 10 AM Friday January 1, 2021 at the Hampton Vaughan Crestview Funeral Home Chapel. Pastor Warren Hall of Allendale Baptist Church will be presiding over the services. Visitation will be held Thursday evening December 31, 2020 from 6-7 PM at Hampton Vaughan Crestview Funeral Home.

Mr. Tyree was born February 5, 1937 in Cardin, Oklahoma to John F. Tyree, Sr. and Idealia May (Heatherly) Tyree. Idealia May passed away when John was 3 years old. His father then married Maxine (Piland) Tyree who raised John and his siblings and who he considered to be his Mom. On February 1, 1963 in Fort Worth, Texas, John married Karen Blalock. John and Karen had been married for almost 58 years when he passed and his wife and family were very important to him. For 24 years he served his country in the United States Air Force, working alongside pilots in the U2 and B-58 Hustler Pilot Survival Training Program to ensure their safety, and eventually cross training to provide physical therapy to injured service members. He loved to teach and ultimately taught physical therapy in the USAF. He also assisted in writing the programming manuals for physical therapy in the USAF for accreditation and licensure. After retiring from the USAF, John worked as a Physical Therapy Assistant in Wichita Falls and the surrounding counties where most people knew him as “Big John” who always carried a white towel around his neck. John loved to help others and to teach. John was a member of Allendale Baptist Church where he taught a men’s bible study. John was known for witnessing and teaching people about God every chance he had.

Survivors include wife, Karen; children, John Tyree III, Sherla Williams and husband Brian, Mark Tyree, Jeff Tyree, Kristi Arrington and husband Larry, and Beckie Tolleson and husband Jimmie II; grandchildren, Joshua Parker, Brandon Parker and wife Bernadine, Justin Tyree, Wesley Arrington, Dakota Tolleson, and Jordan Tolleson; sister, Sharon Tousignant and husband Allen.

Preceded in death by his parents, and brother, Gary Tyree.

In lieu of flowers, family requests donations be made to Hospice of Wichita Falls or Allendale Baptist Church in John's honor.