Joe Allen Burkeens

Joe Allen Burkeens was born February 8, 1942 in Bethel Springs, TN the son of the late Cletis Obion Burkeens and Elizabeth Gage Burkeens. Joe attended Bethel Springs school and played basketball during his high school years. Now Joe may not have been a Harlem Globetrotter but he could probably have won them over with his sweet smile. When he was a senior in high school he married Shirley Hurst and they made their home in Bethel Springs. Joe worked at Brown Shoe Company and Harmon in Bolivar, TN. In the early 1970's, he and Mrs. Shirley bought the Bethel Springs Texaco Station. He also bought a wrecker and was the person they called in 1974 when famous McNairy County Sheriff Buford Pusser had a wreck at Lawton. Joe towed the car to his house in Bethel later in the early morning moving it to the Texaco Station. Hundred's of people visited the station blocking his gas pumps for weeks. In an attempt to save pieces of the car he moved it into the station bay and put up barriers. He did this to still allow people to continue to look at the burned Corvette and also to be able to keep his business going.

In 1975, Joe decided to run for mayor of Bethel and won the election in a very competitive race by two votes. He served as mayor for his town until 1977. He donated the money he was paid for being mayor to local churches. In 1972, Joe and Shirley bought a 450 acre farm in the Forty Forks Community. He also owned and operated heavy equipment bulldozers and backhoes.

Joe was a very unselfish man and was very giving with his family and friends. He would occasionally go fishing but his main hobby in life was working. In May of 2018, Joe was named "resident of the year" at the McNairy County Health Care Center. There was a special day for him "Joe Burkeens Day" at the nursing home. He received a key to the city of Bethel Springs from John Woods and Mayor Gary Bizzell. Many people attended the celebration where he also received a McNairy County pin from County Mayor Ronnie Brooks. Joe remembered this special day up until the very end of his life He had many friends from all walks of life. It mattered not if you were rich, poor, black or white, if he was your friend he would give you the shirt off his back even knowing he didn't have another one. Joe was truly one of a kind and will be missed by all who knew him. He departed this life on November 6, 2018 at the McNairy County Health Care Center in Selmer at the age of 76 years, 8 months, and 29 days.

He is survived by two daughters, Pam Elam of Bethel Springs and Regina Smith and husband Keith of Stantonville, TN; a son, Joey Burkeens and fiancee Amanda of Bethel Springs, TN; seven grandchildren, Brian Smith, Mandy Griswell, Britney Smith, Chase Gunn, Macy Redmon, Kirsten Burkeens, Kailyn Burkeens; five great grandchildren, Chloe Gilchrist, Taytum Griswell, Creed Smith, Harlyn Smith, Kaynon Marshall; a sister, Shelby Weatherly and husband Junior of Bethel Springs, TN and a host of extended family and friends.

In addition to his parents, Joe was preceded in death by a brother, Bobby Earl Burkeens.