JW Emerson

September 20, 1930 - January 23, 2022

John William “JW” Emerson was born in Checotah, Oklahoma on Saturday, September 20, 1930, to David Ervin and Della Elizabeth (Fennell) Emerson. JW passed from this life on January 23, 2022, at his home in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, at 91 years of age. JW was the third of six children born to the Emerson’s, and their firstborn son. At an early age JW excelled at sports and music, playing on the football, baseball, and basketball teams as well as playing trombone in the high school marching band. During football season, he would play his trombone during halftime in his full football uniform. JW would leave home the day after he graduated high school, hopping a box car and leaving town. He worked odd jobs, including stints on the Alaska pipeline and the railroad. In the summers of 1949 and 1950 JW took a job along side his close friend Eustace Llewellyn in a steel mill for U.S Steel in Pittsburg ,California. After graduating Checotah highs school at age 17, JW headed west to Utah where he worked as a gandy dancer on the railroad driving spikes into the rails repairing train tracks. JW bunked in a box car alongside an ex-con who had done 16 years in prison for murder. JW said this ex-con mentored him and taught him how to, “ visualize “ to become who he wanted to be. This was advise JW said he followed throughout his whole life . He said , “ I learned in order to make it happen I had to stay positive.” JW said much later in life that this lesson he had learned went way back to the Bible , the word of God. At some point JW said the ex-con said,” Now get out of here.” Heeding this advice, JW began a life altering journey when he decided to enrolled at Conner State College . A year later, he moved on to Independence Junior College. At the first football practice the coach told him he was too small to play football and refused to check him out a uniform. Displaying the never say never tenacity he used as his philosophy his entire life, JW showed up for the practice anyway and proceeded to practice without a uniform! At the end of that practice the coach finally gave in and told him to go get a uniform. By the first game that season he was the starting quarterback. He finished his college attending Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Ks, where along with football he Majored in Physical Education and Minored in Chemistry. JWs passion was to teach. He loved teaching and mentoring others on how to become the best person they could be. This passion led him to become a high school teacher and coach, and later in life an educator on health and wellbeing. He began his teaching journey as a graduate assistant at Pittsburg State in 1953. In 1954, with a vision to take losing programs and build them into winners, JW took the head coaching job at Ava High School in Ava, Missouri, where he compiled a won-loss record of 15-3-1 in 2 years. In 1954 , JWs rookie season as a high school head football coach in Ava, he led the Ava Bears to a 9-1 record the best in school history at that time. After JWs first successful coaching assignment at Ava, JWs college coach , the legendary Carnie Smith from Pittsburg State, wrote JW a letter of congratulations stating , “ You have great things ahead of you in this coaching profession and one of the finest tributes to your coaching this year was the implication that you taught so much more than just football. This will always be one of your strongest points . ” Carnie Smith was right. He then accomplished similar feats at stops at high schools in Lamar, Missouri; Columbus, Ottawa, Kansas; Kansas; Manhattan, Kansas; and Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He also had a short stint as a college coach at Kansas State University. JW was inducted into both the Pittsburg State University and Tulsa Union high school football Hall of Fames in 2010. Following his coaching career, using his Minor in Chemistry, he began learning about health and wellbeing. He held seminars teaching how the body works and the use of whole foods, herbs, and nutrition to accomplish peak health. The products JW and his wife Lois felt were the most beneficial were products from Sunrider International, a company founded by Drs Tei-Fu and OI-lin Chen. He built his Sunrider business into a successful tool used to help many people restore and regain their health. His teachings are still currently available today on YouTube by searching for JW Emerson Sunrider. In 1951 JW met the love of his life, Lois Mardene Viets, daughter of Henry and Martha Viets of Independence KS. Lois first set her eyes upon JW as he was walking across school grounds with his football buddy both having one arm in a sling from football injuries. Lois, an excellent student and a cheerleader at Independence high, had found her dark haired handsome quarterback and it wasn’t long before they were spending much time getting to know one another at the Cozy Corner in Independence. After dating for 4 years JW and Lois were married at the Zion Lutheran church and became Mr. and Mrs. JW Emerson on June 6, 1954. Lois has faithfully been by his side for the last 71 years, cheering him on from the stands during games and standing by his side during health seminars. Together they had three children, Jeffrey Wynn, Dianna Kay, and John William, Jr. JW was a family man that loved and cared deeply for his family, often studying film in his basement for football or holding business seminars in his home to be close to them. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the JW Emerson Memorial fund set up at (http://tulsalegendsfoundation.org) or contact Lisa Norman at the Education Service Center at 918-746-6453 to make a tax deductible contribution. The Legends foundation supports and enhances the Tulsa Public Schools athletic programs through public relations, fundraising and special events. The foundation provides additional support to the student athletes 19 secondary school athletic teams as well as tutorial study hall for middle school students. JW leaves behind his wife, Lois, of their home in Broken Arrow, OK Son Jeff Emerson of Denver, Colorado Daughter Dianna Emerson of Tulsa, OK Son John Emerson, Jr, of Broken Arrow, OK Sister Cleo Thompson of Brentwood, California Brother David Emerson (Ermyne) of Amarillo, Texas Sister Ann Archer (Terry) of Tulsa, Oklahoma Four Grandchildren: Christopher Emerson (Amanda) of Naperville, Illinois Heather Emerson-Smith (Zach) of Aviano, Italy Emily Burton (Jamie) of Lone Tree, Colorado Kimberly Emerson of Oxnard, California Four Great Grandchildren: Keaton and Dylan Emerson (Christopher and Amanda) Naperville, Illinois Eiligh and Wynnston Smith (Heather and Zach) of Aviano, Italy He was preceeded in death by his parents, sister Frieda, Brother Don, and two grandchildren, Jacob and Austin