Joe Ray Shaw
Joe Ray Shaw was born on June 24, 1955 in Paris, Texas, to Raymond “Fat” and Vivian Shaw. From a very young age, Joe Ray, as he was most often referred to in his youth, spent a great deal of time around the sale barns with his dad and uncle, Wren Shaw. Wren was a livestock auctioneer, so Joe grew up learning the language of an auctioneer.
If you ever met Joe, you knew he was a cut-up and a prankster. He loved to laugh and have a good time. Joe never met a stranger, which was a trait that would serve him well in business throughout his life. Joe was widely known in the Antlers community. He grew up in Jumbo and went to school in Antlers. He was an active member of the Antlers ag program and played basketball. He loved sports and loved to watch his kids, grandkids, and extended family’s kids participating in all of their activities every time he had the chance.
Joe passed away on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, in Plano, Texas, with his wife, Pati at his side. Joe was a lifelong resident of southeastern Oklahoma. He grew up in Jumbo, Okla., just outside of Antlers with his sister, Rita. He attended school in Antlers, where he played basketball and participated in ag, showing both steers and heifers. He graduated from Antlers High School in 1973 and went on to attend Murray State College in Tishomingo.
Joe was a family man through and through. He loved his wife, Pati, to whom he had been married for 35 years. He had three children: Brent, Leslie and Ashley, as well as numerous grandkids and great-grandkids. He loved to attend their various events every time he had the chance. As much as he loved the competitive side of these events, he loved even more spending time with his people. He never met a stranger and he never forgot anyone he met.
Joe was also an historian of sorts. He loved to tell stories and reminisce about the good old days. He especially loved to talk about his childhood and growing up around the sale barns. This was where his love of auctioneering began. His entire career was dedicated to being an auctioneer. For 58 years, Joe worked in sale barns throughout southern Oklahoma and north Texas, primarily in Antlers, Hugo, McAlester, Paris, Idabel, and many others too numerous to mention. With the support of his wife, Pati, Joe was able to make his dream of owning his own sale barn come true in June 2003. They owned and operated the Idabel Stockyards for 20 years. In addition to his work, Joe loved to play. He was a hunter and enjoyed spending time in the woods. He looked forward to buying and popping fireworks on the Fourth of July. Joe would play almost anything that produced a win. He loved to win, and it didn’t matter what it was. He would play basketball, volleyball, softball, Uno, dominoes, poker, or lottery scratch off tickets. It made no difference to Joe. He was truly a competitor at heart.
Joe is survived by his wife, Pati, of the home; daughters: Leslie Navarro and husband, Dondo, and Ashley Youngblood and husband, Douglass; daughter- in-law, Kelly Shaw; granddaughter, Paige Shaw; grandsons: Levi Killman, Reed Shaw and Braden Shaw; great-grandchildren: Brenlynn and Bowie; nephew, Jeff McCarter and wife, Rhonda, and kids: Olivia and Payne; niece, LeAnn Proctor and husband, James.
Joe is preceded in death by his parents, Fat and Vivian Shaw; his sister, Rita Burke; his son, Brent Shaw; father and mother-in-law, Houston “Tommy” and Ruth Thomson; and brother-in-law, Houston Eugene Thomson.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, July 8, 2025 at Three Creek Livestock Auction (Hugo Sale Barn), under the direction of Prater-Lampton-Mills & Coffey Funeral Home.
Please share your memories and condolences at www.praterlampton.com.
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