Joe Stephen McNair

1955 - 2025

"You will miss sunrise if you close your eyes. And that would break my heart in two" ~Townes Van Zandt.

Joe Stephen McNair, beloved father, husband, grandfather, and brother, scored his last ballgame on Memorial Day, May 26th, 2025. He is survived by his beloved wife of 46 years, Patricia, sister, Kris Allen, his son and daughter-in-law, Nathan and Molly, and two granddaughters, Charlee and Stevie.

Joe McNair, known as "Stevie" when he was young, was born in Lawton, Oklahoma on Jan, 13th, 1955. He began his college adventure at Abilene Christian College and graduated from The Institute of Christian Studies with a BA in Theology. He was a visiting preacher at many Churches of Christ in the Austin area. He married the love of his life, Patricia Hollifield, on Nov. 3, 1978 and they soon had their son Nathan in Oct 1982. Joe had hair down his back at the time and frequented the Old Armadillo Headquarters.

The ensuing years were filled with trips to amusement parks where Nathan would ride all the roller coasters while Joe waited patiently at the bottom. Every summer brought a road trip to Asheville, North Carolina with pit stops at various campgrounds, swimming holes, minigolf courses, and short track races. He read to Nathan every night with increasingly animated voices for each expertly fleshed-out character. Joe loved being a dad.

Joe followed sports in a not so casual way. He referred to soccer as "The Beautiful Game" and baseball was close to a spiritual experience. He had season tickets to UT baseball and would score each game with his son in tow. Nathan's skin was often as red as his hair, as they recorded each strike and out on their score card with vigor, under the big old Texas sun.

Joe was a deeply cerebral person who felt and thought with intensity. This was noticeable upon meeting him and something that would stay with you when you were in his presence. To wit, he secretly wrote multiple sci-fi novels that he never shared with a soul.

Joe was a deep lover of the whimsical and the witty and a man of deep Christian faith. He was a writer, a singer, and a connoisseur of art and music, Be it Mozart or "Alice's Restaurant," music was a pathway to God no matter what form it took. During his final days, Mozart was on repeat. Joe would dive-in, silently waving his hands along with the movements, seeking the God he knew was benevolently nearby.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation to Joe's favorite charity where they sponsor several orphans: Compassion International. www.compassion.com.