Joe Ervin Gotcher of Nederland, Texas was born July 9, 1953, in Lubbock, Texas to Jack Myrl and Bobbye Jo Gotcher. He was the third born of four children. His family and he survived a horrific head-on collision with a drunk driver where he ended up in a coma for a week at the age of five, proving how much of a fighter he was from a young age. He was a spry young man and beloved brother. He had a huge sense of humor, great memory, and an even bigger heart. He lived big and had many stories to tell if you had time to listen; and even if you didn’t, he’d probably follow you to your car to tell you anyway. He resided for a short time on the Pitchfork Ranch with his family and was a lifelong Texan. Though he called Guthrie and Lake Jackson home for parts of his life he spent most of his life in Nederland, Texas. He graduated from Nederland High School in 1971, go Big Ned!
Joe worked for Central Freight Lines for 32 and a half years where he worked as a dockhand, truck driver, and eventually Terminal Manager. Joe was supposed to marry the love of his life, Mary Louise Crayton, on April 1, 1982, but since marriages aren’t a joke they waited until April 2, 1982, to wed. They were partners in every sense of the word, as husband and wife, business owners, and parents. During their 42 years of marriage, they opened a family business called The Computer Station where Mary worked. Later Joe and Mary opened another family business, Go Sign and Graphix, later Go Sign and Texas Tees, and then later expanded as part-owner of Cuttin’ Corners Vinyl. He was highly involved in the community where he volunteered for years with the Crime Stoppers of Southeast Texas, a member of the Harley Owners Group, and made many friends and was loved by those that had the privilege of knowing him.
Joe was a lifelong outdoorsman and loved golfing, camping, fishing, and hunting. He had many adventures and raced high speed go-karts, participated in competition shooting tournaments, developed photos in his dark room, rode his Harley, and even helped his friend as part of a top alcohol dragster pit crew for fun. He loved spending time in his deer stand and hunting hogs with his best friends and spending time with his family in Coleman, Texas and Boone, North Carolina. He was the truest definition of a good man and would give you the shirt off his back. He was a proud Paw Paw and loved all his “boneheads” (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews) dearly. He privately fought a valiant battle against melanoma cancer for three and a half years and ultimately lost that battle on May 31, 2024, where he was surrounded in love, music, and welcomed into Heaven.
He was preceded in death by his mother, father-in-law, (Lucian “Jack” John Crayton), mother-in-law (Wanda “Winnie” Lorene Crayton), and older brother (Donnie Jay Gotcher).
He was able to be part of a few trials for cancer treatments and always said that if it could save someone else it was worth it even if it didn’t work for him. The family wants to thank the good people at MD Anderson Cancer Center for their exceptional care and for the additional years we were blessed to have with him.