Joseph Emitt Thigpen

A lawyer by profession but a cowboy at heart, Joseph Emitt Thigpen passed away Dec. 12, 2013, in Austin. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15, at the First United Methodist Church in Haskell with Patrick Pace of Rule officiating. Burial will follow in Willow Cemetery under the direction of Smith Family Funeral Homes of Haskell. Dusty Garison of Abilene will conduct the graveside service.

Family and friends are invited to visitation from 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at the funeral home.

The only son of Dr. Joe Eltidge Thigpen and Beunis Ratliff Thigpen, Joseph was born Nov. 27, 1945, in Haskell, Texas. He graduated from Haskell High School, Abilene Christian College, and earned a doctor of jurisprudence degree from Texas Tech University. He started practicing law in Haskell with his grandfather, Dennis Ratliff, and his great uncle, Bill Ratliff, and practiced for 40 years. He served two terms as the 39th Judicial District Attorney.

Joseph was a founding director for the First National Bank of Haskell and served as the board attorney. At the time of his death, he worked as dealer relations counsel for the Texas Automobile Dealers Association in Austin.

An avid outdoorsman, Joseph liked to hunt and fish, and when younger, he competed in cutting horse competitions on his favorite horse, Skipper Dog. Before starting law school, he spent a year as a cowboy on the 6666 Ranch. He later had the honor to serve as a pallbearer for another true cowboy and friend, Biggin Bradley, the Marlboro man.

An outstanding athlete himself, Joseph loved all sports, especially the Texas Tech Red Raiders. He was a three-sport letterman in high school and played college football at Southern Methodist University. Joseph was a private pilot. The greatest joys of his life were being a dad to his children and "Papa Joe" to his grandchildren.

Joseph was preceded in death by his father, Dr. Joe, and his grandparents, Dennis and Beulah Ratliff and Dr. Joseph and Victoria Thigpen.

He is survived by one daughter, Jodi and husband Jason Trammell of Fort Worth; one son, Joseph Justice Thigpen of Neola, Utah; two grandchildren, Jaxon and Jenna Trammell of Fort Worth; his mother of San Antonio; three sisters, Peggy and Dr. Tom Hairgrove of Bryan; First Lady Anita and Gov. Rick Perry of Austin; Emily and husband Vincent Solis of San Antonio; the mother of his children, Pam Thigpen of Haskell; numerous nieces and nephews, and a host of friends.

Pallbearers will be Larry Beauchamp of Lawn, Charles Chapman of Abilene, Tim Everett of Haskell, John Kimbrough of Castle Rock, Colorado, Patrick Pace of Rule, Sam Toliver of Abilene, Col. Bobby Whisenhunt of View and Bill Wolters of Austin.

Memorials may be made to the Dr. Joe E. Thigpen Memorial Scholarship Fund, Haskell CISD, P.O. Box 937, Haskell, TX 79521.