Jeffery I. Grubbs

Jeffery “Jeff” Grubbs, 61, Altus, passed into the arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Wednesday, April 21, 2021. A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 PM Thursday, April 29, 2021 at the Martha Road Baptist Church with Rev. Frank Whitney, Rev. Kevin Baker and John Lingle officiating. Arrangements are under the care of the Kincannon Funeral Home and Cremation Service.

Jeff was born in Vernon, Texas to Harvey Joe and Barbara Hope (Liles) Grubbs. He was a 1978 graduate of Tipton High School, where he was an 8-time State Forensic Speech Champion. Jeff also played All Area and District Offensive guard for the Tipton Tigers football team with lifelong friends Ray Ashton and Gerald Cole, and participated in the school’s wrestling program. A little-know fact about Jeff as an athlete – he was a skilled unicyclist.

There are many brushstrokes that highlight Jeff’s youth. Alongside athletics and academics, Jeff and his parents, known as the Grubbs Family Trotters, traveled to Abilene, Weatherford, and Mineral Wells to show their prized ponies. In those places, Jeff would ride as a single-jockey trotter-racer. He won first place in Weatherford at only eight years old with his pony “Red.” Jeff was awarded Adult Champion for his singing talent for 4 years at the annual Tipton Talent competition at the lake.

He was always rich in talent, humor, and bravery. On his 16th birthday, Jeff piloted his father’s home-built airplane while everyone else watched from the ground. Jeff was a skilled skeet shooter, and in 1973, a brand-new teenager, won the Sporting Clay State Championship title.

Not long after, Jeff gave his life over to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, at Friendship Baptist Church, where his passion and commitment to Christian Ministry flourished.

After high school, Jeff received an SAT scholarship and attended OBU with a major in Theater. He directed Neil Simons play “Chapter Two,” and received rave reviews. Jeff was also nominated for the prestigious Irene Ryan National Award. His greatest passion and talent were music and singing. He loved to sing Gospel and Christian music at every opportunity. Jeff was called into the Music Ministry in 1978 and served as a bi-vocational Worship leader in Shawnee and several churches throughout southwest Oklahoma for most of his adult life. He became a Licensed Ordained Music Minister in 2001.

Before his oil patch days, Jeff enjoyed a successful career in the automotive industry. He grew up working on engines with his father. Taking that knowledge and set of skills in the workforce, Jeff worked as a Service Writer and manager for Dan Mullins, David Aubrey Chevrolet and Paul Wilmes. Jeff even sold cars “like hotcakes,” he would say while working for Jeff Shaw at Hyundai and Billingsley Family.

He stepped down as Worship Leader for Martha Road Baptist Church to take an out-of-town job in the oil field with his son Jason, where he continued his ministry with the men on oil patches. Jeff recognized a need to bring the ministry among the workers. Jeff’s Bible devotionals and songs were loved by roughnecks and oilmen as they enjoyed breakfast on the oil-patch.

Jeff’s Nanny and Papa introduced him to square dancing. He enjoyed this activity and occasionally would sing a few dances as a guest caller under John Gorski and Jerry Stover. It was at a square dance in Lawton, 1995, where he met his wife, Debbie. She became the love of his life.

Jeff, along with Jack Simpson of Tipton, became local celebrities when the Outdoor Oklahoma filming crew arrived to record a televised episode of Jeff and Jack as they “gigged” for frogs all day long on a Tipton farm pond. They chatted and filled their burlap sacks with giant frogs while the film crew were amazed, and all enjoyed the country fun. If you would like to see this funny video from July 1994 ask a family member.

Jeff was also a talented writer and poet. He has many poems and short stories that may one day be available for publication. He had one poem published in the National Library of Poetry titled “A Kiss.”

His most enjoyable outdoor activity in his life was hunting. He loved nature, wildlife and hunting with the enthusiasm of one of God’s children and loved to share this love with family and friends. Thanks to his long-time friend Scott Wilmes, Jeff always had deer-rich land to hunt.

Jeff was a strong, hard-working man. He was a man of great faith. He was a devoted husband, father, son, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He was uniquely gifted and talented. He will be immensely missed. He was and is immensely loved and admired here on earth by family and friends forever.

Frank and Shelly Whitney, were considered his lifelong brother and sister. Jeff considered Joey Lingle a Christian brother and very often stopped into Joeys Ice Shop to share prayer during his treatment and always ordered Key Lime Pie ice cream.

Jeff was preceded in death by his father Harvey “Papa Joe” Grubbs and his mother Barbara Grubbs.

He is survived by his wife Debbie, the love of his life for 25 years; his blended family children, John Poole (SoYon) of Colorado Springs, CO, Paul Poole (Heather) of Moore, OK, Gina Terry (Jason) of Elk City, OK, and Whitney Grubbs of Moore, OK; grandchildren, Zack Terry, Kyla Terry, Sammy Poole, Nik Terry (Errin), Tayler Poole, Austen Terry, Matthew Poole, Parker Poole, Jade Poole and Aubrey Grubbs-Lytle; and great grandchildren, Ryder Clay Terry, Bentley Terry and Layla Terry.

In lieu of flowers you may donate to Martha Road Scholarship Fund for Ministry Interns, 20388 E. CR 158, Altus, OK 73521 or to the ministry of On Mission c/o Operation Care, 221 W. Walnut, Altus, OK 73521.

Online tributes may be made at kincannonfuneralhome.com