Joe Nelson Prothro

Dedicated, kind, charming and wickedly funny, Joe Nelson Prothro died Wednesday, December 21, 2022, at the age of 84.
The eldest son of Elizabeth Perkins Prothro and Charles Nelson Prothro, Joe was born on October 10, 1938, in Austin, Texas, fittingly the home place of his beloved Longhorns. A graduate of Wichita Falls High School, he later attended Stanford University where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree, and went on to further his education at the University of Texas, earning his MBA/CPA.
Upon graduation, Joe returned home and began service to his family's ongoing efforts in the Wichita Falls community, eventually celebrating 60 years with the Perkins Prothro Company. He served as the president of Perkins-Timberlake Company as well as the President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of City National Bank and its successors. He was also the president of the Perkins-Prothro Foundation and the manager of the Perkins Prothro Ranch.
Joe was a trusted leader who devoted his time and resources to his community. During his lifetime he served as the president of the local YMCA, and he was also elected to the City Council. Joe served on numerous committees and sat as Chair of the Administrative Board of the First United Methodist Church of Wichita Falls, where he was a member his entire life.
His support in the community extended to the arts, with an emphasis on music. First the President of the Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra, Joe later received the title President Emeritus of the WFSO. In 2003, the Joe Prothro Endowment, which provides support for the WFSO operations, was established in his honor. Later, Joe and his wife Dale reaffirmed their love of music and dedication to excellence in higher education by funding the Music Series at Akin at Midwestern State University. In recognition of his lifetime of service to his community, Joe was named Wichitan of the Year in 2013.
Joe touched the lives of so many people both in his community and elsewhere through his kind heart and generous spirit. He maintained his family's commitment to philanthropy, while being equally generous with his time. He was a respected colleague and trusted friend, who listened, encouraged, mentored and led by example.
Joe's many passions included handball, golf, flying, and maintaining a meticulously manicured lawn, although none of these passions came close to his love for the Texas Longhorns.
Above all, Joe adored his wife Dale, whom he chased through Zundy Junior High, dated at Old High, and married while at Stanford in 1957.
Joe is survived by his wife, Dale Prothro; their children, Kathy Prothro, Nelson Prothro, David Prothro and his wife Leslie, and Mary Prothro; his siblings, Kay Yeager and her husband Frank, Mark Prothro and his wife Dianne; his sisters-in-law, Caren Prothro and Sandra Adams; his grandchildren, Reagan Lunn and wife Ashley, Erica Green-Prothro, Christopher Prothro, and Katie Prothro; his great-grandchildren Parker Lunn and Jacob Lunn; as well as three generations of cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother, Vin Prothro, with whom he now sits in Heaven.
Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 27, 2022, at First United Methodist Church of Wichita Falls and streamed online for those who cannot attend. The Reverends Dr. John McLarty and Paul Goodrich will preside. A private burial at Riverside Cemetery will follow the service under the direction of Lunn's Colonial Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests with gratitude that donations in Joe's memory be directed to Hospice of Wichita Falls, First Methodist Church of Wichita Falls, or the Wichita Falls Symphony Orchestra.
Joe will be remembered, missed, and loved – Always.