Bill Garsee

Johnnie Raymond “Bill” Garsee built a life shaped by community, family, and the rhythms of rural East Texas. Originally from San Augustine, Bill and his wife moved to Moscow in the 1950s, where they raised three children and became part of the small‑town fabric. Over the years he became widely known in the area for his steady civic service and active participation in local life, including the rodeo community familiar to many in Polk County.

For seven years Bill served as constable for Precinct 3 in Polk County, a role that reflected his reputation as a trusted public servant in a county where people depended on neighbors and local officials alike. Outside of public service, local accounts show he worked with Citizens State Bank in Corrigan as a collections officer, and he maintained the hands‑on life of a Texan who cared for his land and animals. His connection to Moscow and surrounding towns was more than professional; it was personal — friends, neighbors, and fellow rodeo participants remembered him as someone who belonged to the community’s daily life.

Bill married Teenie (sometimes rendered as 'Teenie Garsee' in later family notices), and the couple raised a family in Moscow. Public notices and later family obituaries reference the Garsee household and the continuing presence of their children and grandchildren in San Augustine and Moscow, a reminder that his life continued in the generations that followed.

Though public records about Bill’s earlier years and private interests are limited in available online sources, the documents that remain show a man whose life combined public duty, family commitments, and community involvement. Remembering Johnnie Raymond “Bill” Garsee is to recall a local official and neighbor whose steady contributions — as a constable, bank employee, husband and father, and participant in regional traditions like rodeo — were woven into the everyday life of his community. His memory endures in the lives of his family and those in Polk County who still speak of the people who helped shape their towns.