Bobbie Joe Brown passed from this life May 1, 2020. he was 80 years, 3 months and 27 days old. Bobbie was born January 4, 1940 in Kopperal, TX to Oren Mandel and Bonnie Louise (Bouse) Brown. His parents brought him, at 6 months of age and older brother Mandel to the Arnett area. They made a home on Oren's parents' homestead, 3 ½ miles south of Podunk, OK.

Bobbie started and completed his school years at Arnett, graduating with the class of 1958. During those years his family had grown to seven. This included Mandel, Linda, Annabell and Rita Gail. During his school years, Bobbie was given piano and bass horn lessons by Mrs. Holt. Those lessons led to Bobbie forming a teen town band that entertained on Friday nights at the Arnett American Legion building. His band included Louis Collar and Herman Merches. Bobbie's school years also allowed him to join the Arnett United Methodist Church where he remained a member throughout his life.

May 1959, Bobbie enlisted in the United States Air Force and left that service in 1965. During those years, Bobbie made many life-long friendships that included a special person, John Knight, now residing in Parkersburg, West Virginia. those active years also let him become involved in the Vietnam Era, Cuban Missile Crisis and Operation Chrome Dome. Bobbie took pride in that Air Force work of maintain B-52 and KC 135 Tanker. That also led to earning many awards.

After leaving the Air Force, Bobbie became a professional truck driver. He enjoyed twenty-seven years of accident free driving those 18 wheelers.

Bobbie's truck driving was abruptly ended when a heart attack disabled him. That allowed Bobbie time to start helping the community by volunteering and transporting other Arnett residents to doctor appointments, helping around the Senior Citizens Center, singing and playing guitar for entertainment at four nursing homes and the VA Center in Clinton each month by joining his father's band in 1995. After Bobbie's father's death, Bobbie became active in Vietnam Vets and Legacy members motorcycle club based in Woodward, OK. With that club he served as Road Captain and helped the club raise and deliver funds (each year) to the Clinton Vets Center and Vici Nursing home monthly.

Bobbies life was richly enriched by a marriage of 33 years to Donna Joy (Boyd) Brown and throughout his life by children Debbie Jo, Billy Wayne, James Oren, Stephney, Shella, Gene, Debbie, Tracy, Houston, Rick, Vickie Lynn, James Leroy, Lori Lee, Teresa Laverne, and Jay J Boyd. Those led to many grandchildren and great-grandchildren to also mourn and miss Bobbie Joe.

Graveside services will be held Tuesday, May 5, at 10:00 A.M. at DeBolte Cemetery, in Arnett, OK. The service video will be available on Facebook (click the link in the services section). Memorial donations may be made to the Arnett Fire Department or the Arnett Senior Citizens in care of Shaw Funeral Home, P.O. Box 276, Vici, OK 73859.