Johnny Wayne Gilstrap, age 78 of Cedar Hill, Tennessee, died Sunday, May 1, 2022 at Centennial Medical Center in Nashville.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at Murph’s Country Music Barn at 3336 Winters Road in Cedar Hill at 2:00PM on Wednesday, May 4th, with Dennis Morris conducting. Burial will follow in Bartlett Cemetery. In addition to his two sons, Merle Ellis, Barry Ellis, Lenny Lymann, Dennis Morris, and Trevor Garrison will serve as pallbearers.
The family will receive friends at Murph’s Country Music Barn on Wednesday, May 4th, from 12:00 noon until the hour of service at 2:00PM. There will be no visitation at the funeral home.
Mr. Gilstrap was born on June 9, 1943 in Anderson, South Carolina to the late John Gilstrap & Sue Coggins. He was a veteran of the United States Marine Corp Reserve and a member of Centerpoint Baptist Church. John was a retired rodeo Clown. The rodeo world lost one of the greatest entertainers of all time. John Gilstrap passed from this earth, but his mark on rodeo and the IPRA will last forever. John was one of the most beloved rodeo clowns we have ever known and his comedy acts are legendary. He had a big heart and was always there to help a friend on the rodeo trail, whether it was help with a few dollars for entry fees or something to eat or some encouraging words when you were down on your luck, John was there for you. He was one of the most decorated rodeo clowns in IPRA history being voted IPRA Clown of the Year many times and also worked the IFR on several occasions. One of the plaques he received for winning Clown of the Year hangs in the IPRA office because when John retired he wanted to share the plaque with others as a way to give back to the organization he loved. One thing I always admired about John was that he never “mailed it in”. I’ve seen John try just as hard to bring a smile to everyone who bought a ticket if it was pouring down rain with 50 people in the seats as he did with 15,000 in a coliseum at a Longhorn Rodeo. Please keep John’s family in your thoughts and prayers. Rest easy old friend and keep ‘em laughing up there at the big rodeo in Heaven and we’ll see you when our ticket is punched.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his daughter, Cathy Ramey; twin babies, Sherry & Sheila; grandson, Josh Whaley; and sister, Anne Carney.
Survivors include his wife of 32 years, Debbie Gilstrap; sons, Kerry (Laurie) Gilstrap and Rooster Gilstrap; brother, Brad (Denise) Gilstrap; sisters, Jane (Leslie) Scoggins and Linda (Tom) Smith; grandchildren, Nichole (Casey) Folsom, Justin Gilstrap, Jaclyn Gilstrap, Joe Gilstrap, and Elizabeth (Gabe) Larkin; and 3 great-grandchildren.
AUSTIN & BELL FUNERAL HOME in Pleasant View is in charge of these arrangements. 6316 Highway 41A, Pleasant View, Tennessee 37146 (615) 746-4433 www.austinandbell.com
