Obituary of Joe Alan Whala
Joe Whala, age 66 passed away at his home in the Redland Community, following a long illness, End of Watch, March 31, 2019. Joe was born on February 27, 1953 in Oklahoma City, OK, to H.O. and Mauriece Whala. He was a 1971 graduate of Haworth High School. Joe married Kathy Farley on June 30 1973 in the Redland Community, OK.
Joe's career in law enforcement spanned almost 40 years, beginning in 1975. He held an Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate and was a Certified Firearms Instructor through the State of Oklahoma CLEET. He received the OSBI Directors Award for Law Enforcement in 2007. Joe retired from the Idabel Police Department as Assistant Chief in 2007, worked as a Deputy for the McCurtain County Sheriff's Department, finally returning to IPD as a dispatcher and retired again in 2012 due to medical reasons.
Joe's love for firearms began when he pulled his first trigger (his dad holding the gun) at the age of 2 years old. He was a self-taught gun smith, avid military and firearm history buff and enjoyed reading and learning anything regarding law enforcement. Joe was also a fan of all kinds of music. He was affiliated with the Redland Methodist Church and had lived most of his life in McCurtain County.
Joe was a devoted husband, father, brother-in-law, uncle, friend and fellow officer. He loved his family very much and he will be greatly missed.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Betty Jo Whala, brother Jimmy Whala, father and mother-in-law, Estelle and Elmer Farley, brother- in-law, Rusty Farley and a nephew, Heath Farley.
Joe is survived by his wife, Kathy of the home; son, Daniel Whala and Sarah Goza of Irving, TX; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Carol and Larry Porton of Wheeler TX, Kenneth and Debbie Farley of Idabel, OK Alison Farley, Redland, family members, Barbara and Louis Bode of Guthrie, OK, Christi and Wes Hatley, Bryce, Jensen and Brock of Clarendon, TX, Jason and Meredith Porton, Maddox and Graham of Vega, TX, Stephanie, Kyleigh, Chloe, Cambrie Farley of the Redland Community, OK, Alan Farley of the Redland Community, OK, Bethany Farley of Idabel, OK, MacKenzie Farley of Tulsa, OK, Kenny, Lori and Colton Pratt of Idabel, OK, Care-o-line Patterson of Idabel, OK, James McCoy of, Yukon, OK, Joe's brothers and sisters in Law Enforcement along with numerous cousins and friends.
The family will receive friends from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Wednesday, April 3, 2019 at the funeral home.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm on Thursday, April 4, 2019 at the White Family Chapel in Idabel, OK.
