Joe Lawrence Walraven
Joe Lawrence Walraven of Ranger, Texas left this world for happie r hunting grounds on Tuesday, June 8, 2021, at the age of 81.
Joe was born in Texarkana, Arkansas on October 27, 1939. He graduated from St. Edward’s Catholic High School in 1957. While working full time and raising a family, he attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Business Management in 1971.
Joe had a sensational appetite for business and was a serial entrepreneur. Upon graduating from SMU, he moved to Ranger, Texas and founded Texas Rail Car Corporation, the first private railcar repair business in the nation. He subsequently sold the business to General Electric in 1978. As soon as his management contract expired, he founded JoeBob Oilfield Service, which provided a variety of services to the oilfield. The business transitioned into an environmental services firm and was rebranded Eagle Construction and Environmental Services, at which time he was joined by his son Marc as a partner in 1993. He also cofounded Eagle Railcar Services, followed by Eagle Remediation, Denali Services, and several others, all of which continue to operate today. After selling his interest in these businesses in 2016, he was not one to retire. He began a series of development and construction projects which he continued to manage until his passing. Joe’s other passion was hunting and fishing. He hunted and fished all over the world and his trophies include some of the most coveted and exotic big game on the planet. Some of his quests took him to The Central African Republic, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, Mongolia, Panama, Argentina, Canada, Spain, Hungry, Turkey, the Arctic, and the Amazon, to name a few. Joe severed for many years on the Board of Regents for Ranger College. He loved flying, his dogs, and cattle ranching. While he lived every minute of his life to the fullest, he never forgot his roots, such as putting on fish fries for the Ranger College basketball teams. He was a friend to all. In 1989, he married the love of his life Jennifer Jensen, whom he referred to as his “guinea”. He was well known for what has been coined “Joe-isms”. He maintained that unique sense of humor to the end, as when he told one of his cardiac nurses: “If I weren’t married, I’d be snortin’ up your flanks”, or when he told his grandson “Go over there, pull down your britches, and draw the flies away.” He made us all laugh over and over.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Johanna Walraven, and his brothers Frances “Bo” Walraven and Mike Walraven.
He is survived by his wife Jennifer, sons Ronnie and Marc Walraven, Marc’s wife Beth, sister Rosemary King and her husband Mike, grandchildren Krystal Bahlburg, and Haley, Jack, Scott, and Alex Walraven, and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
There is no service scheduled as Joe will be cremated and buried in a private family plot on his ranch. Let us all toast Joe to a life well-lived. He will be missed dearly.
The family request that in lieu of flowers or food, that a donation be made to the Ranger Volunteer Fire Department.