Joe W. Esco, 86, a pioneer in the retail tire industry and a member of the industry hall of fame, passed away Feb. 1 at his Oklahoma City home after a lengthy illness.
Born in Alabama and a World War II veteran, Esco spent most of his life in Oklahoma City. After graduating from college, Esco joined BFGoodrich Tire Co. as an area salesman. Eight years later, in 1957, he entered a partnership with Johnnies Tire Co. in Oklahoma City, and two years later he started Joe Esco Tire Co. in an abandoned Oklahoma City filling station.
Over the years, Esco was one of the first dealers to embrace radial tires and precure truck tire retreading, and he served on the national dealer councils for a number of major brand companies.
Esco Tire expanded into OTR retreading, and opened retail stores in other parts of Oklahoma, as well as in Missouri, Texas and Arkansas. In 1980, Esco was elected president of the National Tire Dealers and Retreaders Association (now the Tire Industry Association).
In 1997, Esco sold the business and retired. In 2008, he was elected to the Tire Industry Hall of Fame.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Martha, and is survived by daughter Susan Esco Chandler and son Steven.
