Joseph Simonson

Joseph Edward Simonson, 60, of Dinero, Texas died Sunday, June 13, 2021.

Mr. Simonson was born at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska on September 26, 1960, to Merle and Terese (Grady) Simonson. As part of a Navy family, he moved at two weeks old and lived in Tennessee, Maine, Virginia and Corpus Christi, Texas; prior to his family retiring in Dinero, Texas.   He attended George West High School, where he was voted funniest guy in school, and where he formed many life-long friendships.  He attended Bee County College where he received an Associate of Arts and was a member of the Stage Band and captain of the Judo Club. While attending UT at Austin studying Business, he fell in love with the Texas Music scene, starting him on his professional musical career.  He returned to Corpus Christi and attended Texas A&M-CC, where he received a Bachelor’s of Business Administration and joined his first professional music group, ONYX.

Joe recognized that to pursue a musical dream, he needed a flexible income. He began purchasing rental properties in South Texas and developed a family ranching operation. He performed in a variety of bands but eventually landed in the Texas Country Scene. His favorite event was being the band leader in a parade for his 50th birthday. Canal Street was closed for Uncle Buck’s parade and it seemed like half of South Texas and everyone in New Orleans appeared to know Uncle Buck.

His musical career only came second to his role as family caretaker. Joe was phenomenal in the care he provided his beloved mother, Terese. His sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews all counted on Joe to smooth every roadway. As his nieces and nephews grew into adulthood, their beloved “Uncle Buck” remained a family favorite. When the nieces and nephews weren’t cheering him on at one of his many band events, he was first on the guest list to go to college football games, rodeos, hunting trips, fishing trips, gambling trips and all life celebrations and holidays in-between. The younger generation of nieces and nephews learned to love Uncle Buck just as much as their parents.  When he arrived at an event, a chant of “Uncle Buck, Uncle Buck, Uncle Buck” would start and crescendo with all the nieces and nephews jumping up and down clapping.

Music was a part of his life with his family, and his acoustic guitar, Patch, and then Son of Patch, were always at hand for family events.  He never went anywhere that he didn’t soon have friends.  He played the guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, piano and synthesizer.  He was publishing and copywriting his magnum opus with the help of his niece, Sasha Jones. His nieces, Joslyn, Jana and nephew, Tres were regular music students, and Nathen, Nayla and Jolene were summer participants.

Joe is preceded in death by his parents, Merle Simonson Sr. & Terese Simonson; and his brother, John William Simonson; his sisters, Nancy Marita Simonson and Terri Ehrlich; his nephew, James Ehrlich; and his brother-in-law, Jimmie Edward Jones.

Survivors include his brothers, Stan Simonson and James Simonson; his two sisters, Jeanene S. Jones and Becky Simonson; his brother-in-law, Clarke Ehrlich; and his nephews and nieces and their families, Charles Simonson, James Parker, John Merle Simonson, Amy and Alex Ehrlich, Tracy Ehrlich Head and Alex Head and children Samuel and Emily, Jimmie Edward Jones, Jr. and Jennifer Mcfatter Jones and their children Julie, Tres, Joslyn, and Jana, Katie Wolters and Dale Wolters and daughter, Mikayla Campos, Jeanne Marie Biggs and J. D. Biggs, James Simonson, Jr. and Lasanda, and their children, Brooklyn and Kayla and Daniel Grady Jones and Sasha Ruby Jones and their children, Nathan, Nayla and Jolene.

Joe was a practicing Catholic and a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church.

Visitation will be held at 12 p.m. on Monday, June 21, at St. Joseph Catholic Church with the Rosary recited at 1:30 p.m.  Funeral Mass will follow at 2 p.m. with Father Richard Gonzales presiding. Burial will follow at the Jones Family Cemetery in Dinero.