Joe White Mcbride, Jr.

Services for Publisher Emeritus of The Anadarko Daily News, Joe W. McBride Jr., 90, of Anadarko will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29 at the First United Methodist Church in Anadarko. He passed away peacefully at his home in Anadarko, on Tuesday morning, Feb. 25, 2020, with his wife of over 62 years, Carolyn, at his side. He had been in failing health for the past three months.
A former Boy Scout, he was "always prepared," therefore he wrote the following in 2016: Note to myself, "Prepare your obituary." Or at least begin ...
Here's what he had to say ...
Joe White McBride Jr., born 11:20 p.m.. Nov. 12, 1929, St. Anthony Hospital in Oklahoma City, to Joe W. McBride and Clella Maurita (LeMarr) McBride, then residents of Oklahoma City.
I don't remember this, nor do I know where we lived. My father, an OU graduate in Business Administration, my mother was a thesis short of a Master's Degree in Sociology. Dad was on the advertising staff of The Oklahoma News, a daily publication owned by Scripps-Howard Newspapers.
At age of eight months, we moved to Clinton where Dad joined the ad staff of the Clinton Daily News. I don't remember much about Clinton, though sometime later, I met with Wally Newkirk, also residing at Clinton at that time.
A year later, we moved to Elk City, where my dad was running one of the two daily newspapers published there. I don't remember much about Elk City. Our house was in the middle of the block of the block, white frame, facing south, not far from the central business district.
Three other events occurred there, my Dad gave his only paddling to me for chasing my football out into the street right in front of a westbound truck fully loaded with Okies or Arkies headed to California. I think it was Main Street, better known as U.S. 66.
It was 1932, the year my brother David LeMarr McBride was born, March 13th. I remember going to the hospital to see my mother, and was introduced to David by standing on my tiptoes looking at him in the crib. I didn't make the connection with him and my Mother being in the hospital.
My third memory was kicking my second birthday football in the back yard into the fishpond, running crying into the house and telling Mom, "My football went into the fishpond and the fish are going to eat it!" She rescued the football, gave me a few firm remarks and sent to my room. Never saw that football again.
In late 1933, we moved to Hobart, where Dad became the ad manager of The Hobart Democrat-Chief, owned by Eugene Pulliam who owned a chain of newspapers across the nation. It was the depth of the Depression. Our house, was on the street going north of the main east-west road a block or so, on the west edge of town. Nothing beyond our backyard but wide open spaces with the Quartz Mountains on the horizon to the southwest.
Things I remember there: pulling up three rows of onions in the garden lot next to us; taking tap dancing lessons; performing(?) at Altus in blackface and "formal" suit; playing with the kid next door and "smoking" grapevine behind his house; going to the movies and falling asleep after the cartoon; eating a double-dip ice cream cone with a cherry on top that cost five cents; filling the bathtub full of drinking water for our weekly ration on Sunday. We were part of the Great American Desert clear up and down middle America. We all took a bath with the water left on Saturday evening. Seems the water was a light greenish-brown, dark ring around the top of the tub. Really severe drought.
Then David, called LeMarr, and I spent two weeks with our grandparents, the Rev. J.T. and Alma McBride in Manitou, while our folks moved us to Walters, where Dad bought a half-interest in The Walters Herald from James C. Nance, the beginning of Nance-McBride Newspapers. I started school there - first grade, five years old, six in November, teacher Miss Vera Enslow, two blocks to school. I remember my mother crying at the news of the death of Will Rogers and Wiley Post at Point Barrow, Alaska; our fox terrier Buddy, and the kids across the street and the alley and at the end of the block.
Finished second grade, started third, then we moved to Anadarko, on Oct. 9, 1937. Classes were held in the Nat'l Guard Armory, northwest room, by the Oklahoma street entrance to Randlett Park, with the water tower northwest on the road going down to the City power plant on the Washita River, two tennis courts across the street. Home was 230 W. Oklahoma, with the library (Masonic Lodge) across the street west, the courthouse across the street north, the Methodist Church on the east end of the block, the Coca-Cola distributing across the alley south facing Central Boulevard, and Smith Funeral Home on the northwest corner. Texas and Oklahoma were playing in Dallas.
Met my first friend, Tony Massad, who said, "Hey kid, throw me the football," so I did. Welcome to the neighborhood, softball field lots behind library and Central, where we gathered playing pickup. Soon met Maury DeFord, Pete Garrett, Leslie Smith, David Nixon, Wilbur and Kayland Bradford and Pete Wilson all close by.
Began fourth grade at the new West Grade School, Myrtie McMillan, fifth grade teacher; Alta Dillion, sixth grade teacher. I don't remember much about seventh, eighth and ninth except Miss Jerry Herod, teacher; Mildred Fisher, principal, and John Hayes science teacher, coach, and father of Marjorie). Oh, of course most of the students in my class.
Started sophomore year at Anadarko High School, one block west across the street. Starting Sept. 15, 1945, I began my education at Oklahoma Military Academy in Claremore.
My life changed radically over the next four years, I became a soldier. Away from home for extended periods of time, uniforms, discipline, lifestyle change, Private, Private 1st Class, Corporal, Platoon Sergeant, Captain, Squadron Adjutant, "B" Troop Commander, Distinguished Military Student, Regular Army Commission on graduating college. Went to the University of Oklahoma, majored in Journalism, pledged Alpha Tau Omega - one semester a Pledge, one semester a new member, one semester Chapter President - married, graduated. First students to have graduation in Owen Field football stadium on June 1, 1951, Distinguished Military Graduate.
Called to active duty Aug. 11, 1951 as 2nd Lieutenant, Armor, detailed to the Armored School, Fort Knox, Ky., prior to reporting to 318th Tank Battalion, North Camp Polk, La., near Leesville, La., and a vast area of pine trees, soft hilly soil with swamp and wildlife. Transferred to 322nd Tank Battalion frozen for shipment to Germany in June 1952. Assigned as Supply platoon leader, asst.S-4, HQ Company (2nd Lt in 1st Lt position), designated Battalion Packing and Crating Officer charged with getting units ready to go overseas. No vehicles, just sidearms, uniforms, other equipment and tools, footlockers necessary items. Finished two weeks before departure date, sent people to 510th Tank Battalion to help them do as we had done. Drove cars to New Orleans to ship them out.
Left New Orleans on troop ship USNS General Sheridan, 150 miles down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. Seventeen days from New Orleans to the Azores, then to the English Channel, stopping at La Palice, France, to offload three Air Force Engineer Battalions, then to the port of Dover, England for overnight stop, a quick dash into London, back for departure at 0600 next morning. Then on to the North Sea and Bremerhaven, Germany. Our unit took the train to American Zone home station, Lager Hammelburg, West Germany, three of us followed in our cars same day. We arrived the day after the troop train.
Hammelburg is about 100 miles east of Frankfurt, Germany, 50 miles north of Wurtzburg. Our post was 3.5 miles up hill from the village itself, two lane roads. For a time I lived off post in Bad Kissingen about 12 miles east. Two battalions stationed there, our tank battalion and an armored artillery battalion. Adjacent to the post was a large camp of about 5,000 displaced persons, which had been a German POW camp in WWII and where my Company Commander, Capt. Nicholas, had been held, he was not thrilled to be back. We were less than 20 miles west of the East German border on the south side of the Fulda Gap, probable route for an attack launched from the east.
Returned to the U.S. via Staten Island, picked up a car and drove west on U.S. highways, connecting with U.S. 66 and first sight of the Turner Turnpike, reporting to Fort Sill where I was released from active duty on July 23, 1953, 18 days from a full two years active duty. Remained in the active Reserve with the 95th Infantry Division. First as a member of Company A, 358th Field Artillery and later added duty as Asst. Public Information Officer and later I.O. of the 95th before returning to Co. A 358th as Battery Commander. The Division then converted to the 95th Division Training, that's when I went to Div. Hq. as asst. I.O. as Captain (a Majors slot as I.O.) But gave up assignments due to becoming general manager of The ADN, in August 1964. I became Publisher in February 1972, following the death of my father.
The first week after coming home I called on Maxine Frey, Caddo County Superintendent of Schools, regarding the booklet we were printing listing all the schools in the county, who the officials were and all of the teachers and their subject matter. Maxine called out, "Carolyn, come in here there's someone I want you to meet!" My first sighting of my future wife and mother of my children.
We saw one another quite often and had our first date Sept. 11, 1955. We were together constantly until we married, July 20, 1957 in Liberty, Texas. My old Army buddy and best friend, William R. Billingsley and wife Nelda, made the arrangements for us at the First Baptist Church. Brief honeymoon along the Gulf Coast and back home, my folks met us at Oklahoma City, drove home where Carolyn's mother Opal wasn't pleased about not knowing ahead of time. We still became friends.

Now in the our 58th year, we've been blessed with three remarkable children, Paula, JoNell and Carla plus their husbands, Earl Savage, David Thomas and David Alexander (Davids run in the family, my brother is also named David) and their children, Seth and Sarah, Dalton and Max(imus). I also have a daughter, Dana K. McBride and her daughter Chase of Austin, Texas. I have a brother, David L. McBride of OKC and Tucson, Ariz., Carolyn's sister, Sandra and late husband David Hill of Tulsa, and their children Holly and Jamie.
I've thought about my life, we've been in 49 of the 50 states, started to Alaska but got side-tracked. I've visited 32 foreign countries, five of the seven continents (no Arctic or Antarctic), still like coming home to Anadarko, Oklahoma, United States of America. Will join my Mother and Father and Carolyn's Mother, and others at Memory Lane Cemetery to spend the rest of eternity.
It's been my pleasure to serve as Publisher of The Anadarko Daily News for the last 54 years, undoubtedly the most intriguing participation one could experience.
That's all he wrote.
In addition, Joe was also a Rotary Club member for many years, and was president of the Oklahoma Press Association in 1987. He served as president of the Oklahoma Lung Association, and was a board member of the Great Plains Country Association. He was president of the board of the National Hall of Fame for Famous American Indians.
He served in different capacities on the board of the Anadarko Chamber of Commerce, and was voted its Man of the Year. He also owned and operated the Anadarko Printing and Office Supply in the 1970s and 1980s He also owned and operated The Gallery of Art in Anadarko for over 40 years.
In his younger days, Joe was an keen horseman, and played polo during his OMA and Army days. He trained Tennessee Walking horses and had a pony ride operation with Shetland ponies at Indian City USA. He was a good golfer in his day, and liked to play tennis until his elbow wouldn't let him anymore.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Anadarko.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents, his father in 1972 and his mother in 1990; his mother-in-law, Opal Stuart Kardokus, in October 2007; his brother, Dr. David L. McBride, M.D., in December 2016, and his beloved daughter, Paula McBride Savage, on Oct. 12, 2019.
He is survived by the love of his life, Carolyn Nell (Meyers) McBride; his daughters and their husbands, JoNell McBride-Thomas and David Thomas, and Carla McBride-Alexander and David Alexander, all of Anadarko, and Dana K. McBride and Graham Agar of Austin; his grandsons, Dalton McBride Thomas of Norman and Max Alexander of Anadarko; his granddaughter, Chase McBride of Austin; his sister-in-law, Sandra Hill of Tulsa; two nieces, Holly Park of Tulsa and Jamie Milek of Stillwater and their families; Carolyn's half-brother, Rollie Meyers of Chico, Calif.; his son-in-law, Earl Savage of Anadarko; his step-grandchildren, Seth Savage and Sarah (Savage) Mace, and numerous cousins, other family and many friends.
Viewing will be held from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Feb. 27 and 28 at Ray & Martha's Funeral Home in Anadarko.
Burial will be in the McBride family plot at Memory Lane Cemetery in Anadarko.
Services are under the direction of Ray & Martha's Funeral Home.