John Wesley Shasteen
John Wesley Shasteen of Boswell, Okla., passed away peacefully at the age of 84 on July 6, 2024. He was born at home in Cooke County, Texas, on Nov. 29, 1939 to Alvin and Ina Shasteen.
John Wesley was born to parents who married the year the stock market crashed in 1929, which prompted the Great Depression. Poor families all over the south struggled just to survive, and his family was no exception. He was the sixth child among eight children, growing up in Walnut Bend along the Red River in Cooke County, Texas. He spent his childhood in the sandy river bottoms, picking cotton and hoeing peanuts and corn.
He attended Walnut Bend Elementary and went on to Gainesville High School. In his older years of high school, he would work on the oil rig during the night shift and go to school during the day. He was proud to provide his mother with her first telephone with his earnings. He earned his GED later in the Navy.
He joined the Navy to get off the farm and to try to build a different kind of life. He proudly told his family of his three journeys to the South Pole. He always laughed as he told the story of how he and his shipmates gave beer to penguins and watched them drunkenly slide on the ice. He visited numerous foreign countries during his time in the Navy, but he would always boast that none of them held a candle to the USA.
He met his wife, Glenda, while ordering a cherry coke at the Kress’s Soda Fountain in Gainesville, Texas. He said he knew he wanted to marry her the minute he met her, and that’s exactly what he did. Married in the preacher’s house in Gainesville, Texas, on Dec. 22, 1960, John Wesley and Glenda enjoyed a long and loving marriage of 64 years.
He worked as an insurance salesman, owned and operated two gas stations, a grocery store, and a used car lot. He worked many years in the oil field as well –– but his passion was cattle ranching. During his years as an insurance salesman he received top salesman in his area and received many awards for his success.
He was a member of the Church of Christ his entire adult life, and his faith in Christ was very important to him.
He and Glenda’s life-long marriage produced three children, eight grandchildren, and two greatgrandchildren (on the way).
He is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Glenda of Boswell, and their three children: John Shasteen and wife of Greenville, Texas, Kay Slagle and husband of Forrest Chapel, Texas, and Matilda McIntyre and husband of Boswell.
He is also survived by their eight grandchildren. John also had many nephews and nieces whom he had many fond memories with.
He was preceded in death by his parents: Alvin and Ina Shasteen; siblings: Martha Krebs, Robert Shasteen, Norman Shasteen, Eugene Shasteen, Jim Shasteen, Wayne Shasteen and Larry Shasteen.
A celebration of his life was held on Thursday, July 11, 2024 at the Boswell Church of Christ.
Interment followed the service at Restland Cemetery with John Shasteen and Jim Woods officiating, under the direction of Miller & Miller Funeral Home.
