Obituary for Joseph Stolhand

Joseph Glen Stolhand

July 1, 1943 ~ November 16, 2022 (age 79)

Joseph Glen Stolhand passed away on Wednesday November 16, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma at Saint Simeon’s Senior Living Community, Nursing Home and Rehab, following an unsuccessful battle with multiple cancers. He was born on July 1, 1943, in Ponca City Oklahoma. His parents Mary (Burge ) and Harold Stolhand preceded him in death.

He is survived by his son Bret(Melissa) Stolhand of Farmersville, Texas and two grandsons, Jackson and Jason. He is also survived by his brother Ray(Melissa), Overland Park KS and sister Suzanne Roller, Montgomery, TX; Greg Stolhand(nephew), Julie (Chad) Homsey(niece), Josh Roller (nephew). Stephanie Roller Hansen(niece) preceded him in death. He also is survived by 7 Grandnephews and nieces, Sienna, Evan, and Scarlett Stolhand and Hank, Charlie, Ava and Reese Homsey. His former wife, Lisa (Stone) Stolhand also survives.

Glen attended St. Mary’s school for 12 years and graduated from St. Mary’s high school in 1961. He received a Bachelor’s degree in 1965 at Oklahoma State University in Education and a Master’s degree in 1966. He taught High School and coached in Glencoe, Oklahoma until he was drafted in 1969.

He had basic training beginning the summer of 1969 with the U. S. Army in Fort Polk, Louisiana, and Advanced Medic schooling at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio before being levied for Vietnam. While serving as a Combat Medic in an Infantry Unit north of Long Binh in 1970, Glen was exposed to Agent Orange and following exposure to an explosion, had all his teeth cracked and removed. He also served in Cambodia and Laos. He was eventually reassigned to Saigon where he finished his tour of duty. As a Combat Medic he witnessed many tragedies, the results of which affected him for the rest of his life. He did not want to talk or share any of it with family and he just said, it was too painful to relive.

When returning from Vietnam and finishing his tour of duty, he returned to Oklahoma State and began work on his doctorate in administration and education which he continued for some time until he married in 1977 and later moved to Denver Colorado. He worked for many years in Colorado and retired in 2012 and moved back to Ponca City, Oklahoma.

He loved Ponca City. He loved all his contacts from basketball and softball over the years and basically loved sports and has until the end. His big loves were watching TV sports, old western movies, collecting coins, stamps, baseball cards and keeping track of the people he knew from his younger days.

Thanks to the friends who helped take care of him during these last few years-Marsha Batson, Jerry Kuchera, Kevin Terry, Tim Coffman, and Judy Hoffman and more who looked after him.

His funeral is being handled by Grace Memorial Chapel and his ashes will be interred by his Mother and Father’s grave at Resthaven-Sunset Memorial Parks. A Funeral Mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Church at 10:00 A.M. with a Visitation at Grace Memorial from 12:00 to 1:00 followed by burial at Resthaven-Sunset Memorial Gardens.

The family would also like to thank the VA Social Work of Oklahoma, and Glen’s case worker, Dani Luschen; Seasons Hospice of Tulsa, Oklahoma; and St. Simeon’s Senior Community, Tulsa OK for all they did to make his final days of life comfortable. They were kind, supportive and informative to the family. His final words that evening after dinner and heading to his room were to effect-“I am going to the Casino.”