Joe Richey, long-time Tulsa resident and owner of Tulsa Stage & Top for 21 years, passed away on Thursday, July 26. He died in his home surrounded by his wife, Vivian Steele, Lexie Medina, their adopted niece and his three beloved dogs: Bo Bo, Rowdy and Gurdy, and two tolerated cats: Pretty Boy and Clyde (just kidding, we love the cats too!)
Several friends and many family members, including his sister in Law Leigh Steele, Nephew Allan Jon and Great Aunt Mary Sewell were at his home throughout the day to say goodbye. Joe had suffered for 10 months with a very painful stage 4 sarcoma which had been diagnosed last September. He gave a valiant fight undergoing months and months of chemo, traveling to M.D. Anderson, Houston, twice, receiving radiation and lastly undergoing a brain surgery two weeks ago.
Those who know Joe will appreciate that he was in great spirits and cracking jokes until the very end. He even had the medics laughing as they took him by ambulance to the hospital Monday morning, only to return him home by 12 noon the same day. His wife called Hospice on Monday, and Wednesday night he was gone. He fought until the very, very end.
Born in Anderson, Indiana, September 25, 1954; Joe was 63 years old, too young to die. He and his wife had built a wonderful retreat on � of an acre in Tulsa where he designed a swimming pool, barn, gardens, sidewalks, walkways, planetarium, and outdoor patio where they loved hosting get-togethers with friends and family.
He is well known throughout North Eastern Oklahoma for the two TST Mobile Stages with tops he designed and built which have showcased hundreds of community events. He also custom built and helped produce a plethora of events for community, city, state, political and non-profit events including: the Tulsa Centennial Celebration, The Grand Opening of the St. Francis Children's Hospital, The Tulsa Christmas Parade, Greek Fest, Scottish Games, Kalachi Fest, Kilkenny's Irish Fest, Rt. 66 Marathon, Blue Dome Festival, Living Art's Los Dias de Los Muertos, Juneteenth, El Cinco De Mayo, Woolaroc's Cowboys, Outlaws and Thieves, Jingle Bell Run, Pryor Christmas
Parade, Inola Hay Days, Skiatook Pioneer Days, Utica Square 5th Nights King's Point Concert series and so many, many more.
Joe and his wife Vivian Steele began Tulsa Stage & Top in 1997 after having been married only two years. His background was in machine work and her background was in festivals and marketing; having worked for the River Parks Authority in the beginning of the agency, where she started the popular long-running Tulsa Oktoberfest, and subsequently worked in radio for 13 years doing marketing and promotions. They met through Lloyd Smith "Smitty", a mutual volunteer/friend at Mayfest in 1994.
Together they combined their talents to create Tulsa Stage & Top, with the help and backing of friend and colleague and Tulsa business entrepreneur, Blayne Frieden. Over the two decades, Joe even custom- built staging in Mayor Kathy Taylor's back yard when her husband threw her a surprise party featuring the Beach Boys. He has put on stage such wonderful talents as B. B. King, Faith Hill, Sinbad, 38 Special, Diamond Rio, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Jonas Brothers, Carrie Underwood (before she was a star) Mercy Me, Michael K. Smith, Amy Grant and so many more.
Vivian Steele, co-owner of Tulsa Stage and Top, will continue to operate Tulsa Stage & Top along with their nephew Allan Breedlove and his wife Natalie Watson.
Joe is survived by his wife, Vivian Steele, nephew Allan Breedlove, niece Natalie Watson, great niece Maya Breedlove, sister Rebecca Larramore, Orange Park Florida, nephews Kyle Brammer, Jacksonville, Fl, and Bret Brammer, Atlanta, Ga and niece Ashley Louis, serving in the United States Airforce, stationed in Beulaville, North Carolina. His father was Joseph Francis Richey, Anderson, Indiana and mother Rosemary Richey, Tipton, Indiana, nee Cummings.
Joe's loving spirit, unwavering loyalty, honesty, hard work, creativity, mechanical genius and biting satire and humor will be missed by his -family, his faithful crew and wide circle of friends and especially by his soul mate, his wife of 23 years, Vivian Steele.
Services will be held Tuesday, July 31st, 2:00 pm, Chapel in the Woods, 101st & Yale, 3707 E. 101st St.