Joe Monds, 79, of Beaumont, lost his long battle with heart disease on Saturday, February 9, 2013. He was born in Gatlin, Oklahoma, on March 1, 1933, to Annie Velma Monds and Joe Lee Monds. 

He graduated from Marlow High School in 1951 and achieved an associate degree from Murray Junior College in Tishomingo, Oklahoma, where he served as a Cadet Colonel in the Air Force ROTC, and sang in the glee club and men’s quartet. Joe furthered his education at the University of Oklahoma, Central State College in Edmond, Oklahoma, and Lamar State College of Technology in Beaumont, having achieved a bachelor’s degree in 1969.

Joe married his college sweetheart, Mary Bryan, in November of 1952; their family grew with the birth of their only child, Lee Ann, in 1953. He moved his family to Duncan, Oklahoma, and began his career in the petrochemical industry first with Halliburton and later at Mobil Oil. Joe transferred to Oklahoma City in 1959 and then to Beaumont in 1962. He was a training coordinator for Mobil Chemical in Beaumont until 1974. He was then hired by Velsicol Chemical Corporation in Beaumont, where he worked as Human Resource Manager until his retirement in 1995.

In 1999, Joe lost Mary, his loving wife of forty-seven years. In 2001, he married Chee Lee Wall and was blessed with twelve wonderful years with her. He was a good Christian man, a good friend, and loving husband, father, grandfather, and brother.

Survivors include his second wife, Chee Lee Wall; daughter, Lee Ann Powell and her husband, Brent; beloved grandson, David Powell; sisters, Shirley Monds Streich and her husband, John, along with their sons, Tony and Joe, and their families; Velma Monds Sharp and her husband, Jimmie, along with their daughter, Tonya, and her family; and also beloved great-nieces and nephews.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Mary Kathryn Monds; and nephew, Kevin Sharp.

A gathering of Mr. Monds’ family and friends will be from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m., Friday, February 15, 2013, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. His funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Saturday, February 16, 2013, at Ridgewood Church of Christ, 2455 Commerce Street, Beaumont. There will also be a service in Marlow, Oklahoma, at 1:30 p.m., Sunday, February 17, 2013, at Calloway-Smith-Cobb Funeral Home, 415 West Main Street, Marlow, Oklahoma.