John Frazier

1932 - 2020

SHAWNEE, Okla. - John Frazier, 88, renowned circus showman, died May 3, 2020, of natural causes at home. A celebration of his life will be 4 p.m.-dusk Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Hugo Lake Hospitality House in Hugo, Oklahoma.
John was born Jan. 30, 1932, in Corpus Christi, Texas, the son of Jack and Lucille Frazier.
Born into show business, he was an entertainer from a very early age, starting in vaudeville in the 1930s, and then becoming a circus performer.
John was working at the Hagen Brothers Circus, based in DeLand, in 1952, when he was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he served as a medic in the 77th Airborne Special Forces Group 1952-55 and achieved the rank of sergeant. He was a lifetime member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2380 in DeLand.
John returned to show business after his discharge, building and managing a series of successful mud shows in the U.S. and Canada, including several years as a manager with the Clyde Beatty Cole Bros. Circus, also based in DeLand.
John was preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Lucille; brother Jack "Corky" Frazier; and sister Mary Rawls. He is survived by his children and their spouses, Sheila (Frazier) Sheffield and her fiance Patrick Koch, Antoinette Frazier, John and Donna Frazier, Darren and Michele Frazier, Robert Frazier and Patrick Mansouri, Audrey Frazier and her partner, Kirk Weed, and Ashley Isabella Frazier; 16 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations may be made to a local library or to Shriners Hospitals at www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/shc.