Obituary for Joe Merritt Head
Joe Merritt Head, 99, passed peacefully in his sleep at his home in Mangum on Saturday, July 13, 2019 following a brief illness.
He was born on February 21, 1920 to Harold Mint and Pearl Maude (Wharton) Head in Mangum, Oklahoma.
He married Aline Locke Davis on February 3, 1950 and they spent many happy years at their farm. Aline preceded him in death.
Joe later married Dorothy “Dot†Dorrill, a longtime friend and moved to town. Dot passed away two years later.
Joe was one of Mangum’s oldest alumni members, graduating Mangum High in 1939. He was a true character and a great storyteller. Joe had many jobs over the years. He was most remembered as an extremely talented gunsmith. He had clients all over the United States including many police departments in Oklahoma as well at the Texas Rangers along with many others. He had a beautiful bluing technique that no one else could match.
Joe had many hobbies including hunting, fishing, old guns, rocks and minerals, tropical fish, peacocks, parakeets, geese, ducks, rabbits, pigeons, wood carving, old cars, and photography. He once said he had so many hobbies that he didn’t have time for any of them.
Survivors include his niece Carol Dennis and husband Tommy of Cushing, OK; great niece Kristin Beitz and husband Mark and their children Kaylin and Jensen also of Cushing; and many Wharton cousins that he loved dearly, especially Sam Wharton of Victorville, CA and Jolaine Smith of Mangum ; and very dear friends Byron and Mary Kay Kelley, Doug Kyle of Mangum, and Jim Burke of Oklahoma City, OK.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wives, brothers Harold and Kenneth Head, sister Mary Ruth Aldridge, and niece Lora Head.
Visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 17, 2019 at Greer Funeral Home in Mangum. Graveside services will take place at 10:00a.m. Thursday, July 18, 2019 at Riverside Cemetery in Mangum.
To send flowers in memory of Joe Merritt Head, visit the Tribute Store.
Previous Events
Visitation
Wednesday
17
Jul
6:00 PM
- 8:00 PM
Greer Funeral Home
235 South Pennsylvania
Mangum, OK 73554
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