Obituary of Joseph Britton Radford

Joseph Britton “Britt” Radford was born on August 15, 1954 and died November 3, 2022.  Growing up in Tulsa, he attended Barnard and Patrick Henry Elementary Schools and graduated from Edison High School in 1972.  Britt attended the University of Oklahoma and graduated in 1977. While he was at OU, Britt pledged Sigma Chi Fraternity where he made many lifelong friends and he never missed Sigma Chi lunches on Friday.  After college, Britt returned to Tulsa and began working at OCV Control Valves, the company his father founded in 1942, and was planning to retire the end of this year.  Britt knew his father’s legacy would continue when the company was recently sold to MAT Holdings out of Spain and became part of Aquestia USA.  Ann and Elizabeth are also pleased that his 45 years of service is part of that legacy. Through OCV, Britt was a proud member of Tulsa Executives Association (TEA).

Britt was preceded in death by his parents Robert “Tex” Radford, Dorothy “Sug” Radford and his brother Rob Radford. He is survived by his wife Ann Washington Radford and daughter Elizabeth Carter Radford. Britt and Ann met on a blind date and were married at Trinity Episcopal Church by Ann’s late Uncle Jack Powers in 1985.  They have remained faithful members of Trinity where Britt served as an usher.  Britt is also survived by his sister Janis Radford-Thomas and his niece Sydney Fedesna, his sister-in-law Jody Radford and her children and grandchildren Jason Radford, Judson, Ben and Hailey Radford.  After marrying Ann, Britt embraced being a son-in-law, brother-in-law, cousin, and uncle in her family. They include Mary and J. Robert Reneau (OKC), Margo, Harper, Avery, and Pierce Ward (OKC), Elaine, Christopher, Carter, and Cate Anderson (Dallas), Phil, Sarah, and Gus Powers, Zach, Ramsay, and Amos Pierce (Vermont), Kathy Powers (Tulsa), and John, Jill, Alec and Emma Powers (Tulsa).

Britt lived with Type 1 diabetes for 55 years and OCV sponsored the Tour de Cure bike event to help raise money for the American Diabetes Association.  He mowed his own lawn (cross cut) and recently taught Elizabeth how to mow her lawn after she bought her own home.  He was on speed dial for her as her “Mr. Fixit.”  His cars were always clean, he had Braum’s milk in the fridge and he never missed a Formula One car race on television.

Britt’s service will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church, 501 South Cincinnati, Tulsa, on November 9^th at 11am.   The family has requested that memorials be made in his memory to the Trinity Episcopal Church Endowment Fund, Iron Gate or American Diabetes Association.