A service celebrating the life of Joe B. Dutcher will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, December 16, 2023 at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church with The Rev. Stephanie Jenkins, Rector, officiating. Joe passed away Thursday, November 17, 2023, in his home, surrounded by his family.

Entombment will be in the St. Andrew's Episcopal Church Columbarium.

Arrangements are under direction of Becker-Rabon Funeral Home.

Joe was born September 23, 1931, in Lawton, Oklahoma. He graduated from Lawton High School, where he played football and baseball for the Wolverines.  He furthered his education at the University of Oklahoma, where he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity, and from which he earned his bachelor's degree in business administration in 1955. Joe later obtained a master's degree in education from Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

During his time at the University of Oklahoma, Joe met Katherine "Kitty" Grant of Davis, Oklahoma, and the two were married in 1956.  After their marriage, they moved to Altus, Oklahoma, where Joe was managing one of the family shoe stores.  They returned to Lawton in 1958, where Joe remained active in the operation of the family retail business.

In 1965, Joe left the family business to accept a teaching position with the Lawton Public Schools.  Teaching and mentoring the youth of his community would occupy the balance of his professional career.  During his time with the Lawton Public Schools, Joe taught distributive education and history at Lawton High School and Eisenhower Junior High School, and later was a guidance counselor at Central Junior High School before moving to Eisenhower High School, where he served until his retirement.

Joe was also a member of the United Sates Army reserves.  Joe retired from the army reserves in 1976 with rank of lieutenant colonel, having last served as a battalion commander.

Joe was also deeply involved in the Lawton community.  In 1969, Joe ran for and was elected to the first board of education for the Great Plains Area Vocational Technical School, which is today known as the Great Plains Technology Center.  In 1996 he was elected to the Lawton City Council for Ward 3, on which he served until the expiration of his term in 1998.   Joe also served on the boards of many civic and charitable organizations in the Lawton community.

Joe was a life-long and active member of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church.  At St. Andrews, Joe served as a Sunday School teacher, member of the vestry, the church's governing body, and was twice Senior Warden, the chief lay officer of the church.

Joe's beloved wife of 67 years, Kitty, predeceased him by a mere thirty-six days.  This was the longest separation of their enduring and loving partnership.

Survivors include his four children and their spouses, Blake and Ruth Dutcher, Lawton; Kristen and Kelly Couch, Davis, Oklahoma; Mary and Kevin Cawthon, Plano, Texas; and Heather Dutcher and Tony Terrill, Lawton; nine grandchildren and their spouses,  Carrie and Bill Norris, Joby and Jordan Dutcher, Emily and Wills McVicker, Katie and Jake Kreamer, Grant and Katie Couch, Allison Cawthon, Sarah Cawthon, Zoe Halloran and Finn Halloran; along with  eleven great grandchildren, Kate and James Norris, Joe Blake, Evelyn and Penelope Dutcher, Ruthie and Dutch McVicker,  Cade and Jackson Kreamer, and Abby and Charlotte Couch..

His parents, Glen and Alice Dutcher, and a sister Sharon Dutcher, preceded him in death.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 1313 SW D Avenue, Lawton, Oklahoma 73501.