Joseph "Joe" Samuel Gaddis

Canton- During the peaceful late evening hours of Tuesday, November 14, 2023, Joseph “Joe” Samuel Gaddis, age 79, entered into his glorious place of eternal rest.

Born on April 12, 1944, in Haywood County, Joe’s life was marked by the rugged spirit of the mountains he called home. For 16 years, he brought the Old West to life at Ghost Town Entertainment Attraction located in Maggie Valley where he proudly donned the hat and spurs of a gunfighter cowboy. Joe embraced his mountain heritage with a passion that resonated with everyone who knew him.

But Joe wasn’t just a cowboy at work- he was a cowboy at heart. His love for square dancing was as infectious as his smile, and whenever the fiddles and banjos struck up a country tune, you could bet that Joe and his beloved wife Brenda would be the first ones on the dance floor. They danced with several teams in our community, and a special memory was dancing with the Land of the Sky Cloggers and performing at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium in Asheville where they  “brought the house down” with the team’s great performance.

Thirty- five years ago, Joe and Brenda embarked on a journey that added another chapter to their lives story. A trip to Tennessee turned into a special moment in the back of Temple Feed and Seed Hardware Store in Sevierville, where they exchanged wedding vows before a Justice of the Peace. It was a perfect day and a perfect everlasting memory for both of them.

Joe was an adventurer at heart. He was always agreeable to go along with Brenda anywhere she decided they should go. Whether he was casting a line into the cool mountain streams as an avid fisherman or sharing stories with friends and family, Joe embraced life with open arms.

 As we remember Joe, we recall the mischievous twinkle in his eye and also the warmth of his smile, and the deep love he held for his family. In the touching words of his dear Brenda, “Joe will always be my cowboy, and my heart is shattered at losing him.”

Today we celebrate the joy that he brought to our lives. Joe Gaddis, the cowboy with a heart of gold, will never be forgotten.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Allen Gaddis and Bertha Wyatt Gaddis; his daughter, Kimberly Gaddis; brothers, Billy Wayne Gaddis and Charles Gaddis, sisters, Martha Harrell and Ola Broome.

Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife, Brenda Edwards Gaddis of Canton; his son, Stevie Gaddis of Waynesville;  his daughter, Jennifer Maynor of Florida and Tammy Gregory of Clyde; his other children,  Tony Justice of Waynesville and Jennifer Price of Canton; 11 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren; and many friends.

A celebration of life service to honor Joe will be held at a later date.

Crawford / Ray Funeral Home and Cremation Service is honored to be caring for the Gaddis family.