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Joe Rector

Roster Info

Season Class # Pos Ht Wt
1956 SO 80 RE 5-11 199
1957 JR 80 RE 5-11 198
1958 (C) SR 80 RE 5-11 198

Personal Info

First Name: Joe
Middle Name: D.
Last Name: Rector
Common Name:
Nickname:
Hometown: Muskogee, OK
High School: Central
Birth Date/Place: April 18, 1937
Death Date/Place: June 6, 2013 in Oklahoma City, OK (age 76)
Related To:
Obituary:

Joe Rector died June 6, 2013, due to complications of Wegner's Disease. He was born April 18, 1937, to Jessie Addington Rector and Rennie Rector in Muskogee, OK. Joe played football and basketball three years at Muskogee High School, earning a scholarship to OU. High school football coach Paul Young was pivotal in Joe's character building. At OU, Joe started at End for three years, Co-Captain of the Sooners in 1958, and named to Academic All-American. Three men who influenced Joe at OU were Bud Wilkinson, Gomer Jones and Port Robertson. Joe married Sally Collier in 1958. He spent many years coaching college football at West Texas State in Canyon, TX; OU, and Vanderbilt in Nashville, TN. From there, Joe worked at First National Bank of Norman, Liddell Enterprises, First National BanCorp, and Rector Realty in Muskogee, OK. In Muskogee, he was active in Rotary and served on the school board for several years. He returned to OKC in 1989 and resided there until his death. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Raymond. He is survived by his partner, Janice Drewell; son, Steve Rector (Lissette), Maya and Isabella; son, Jay Rector (Julie) Chelsea, Jackson, Madeleine, and Joseph; daughter, Sarah Rector, and her daughter, Berkana. Nothing gave Joe more pleasure than getting together with his Sooner teammates and watching sports on TV. We will miss you, Dad, and your eternal optimism! Boomer Sooner!

Notes

  • A (C) indicates that the player was a captain for that season (named before each game in 1982, 1995 through 1998, and 2022 to present).
  • Related To refers to other OU athletes only.
  • Calculations for career totals will be skewed if the season totals are incomplete.