|
Places I have lived:
Borger TX, Gillette WY, Soldatna & Wasilla AK, Gladewater TX, Libya,
Ecuador, Bryan/College Station, Amarillo, Harleton and Hallsville TX,
Woodward OK, Casper WY, Colbert and Durant OK, Kilgore TX, Tuscaloosa AL,
Robeline LA, Longview TX.
Jobs:
More than 25
years in the oilfield. Started out as a Floorhand at the age of 18 for JW
Snyder w/Diamond Well Service. That job led me to all the other places as
Driller to Tool Pusher to Truck Driver to heavy equipment mechanic & then
Rig Manager in Libya & Tool Pusher in Ecuador & from there to Consultant &
Manager of a Well Service Co. I drilled all over East TX & was the one
that found most all the Lignite. Spring of '82 I was ask to speak to a
Texas A&M Petroleum Engineering class.
Shortly after the collapse of the Oilfield in the 1980s I decided to
change careers & was offered Hospital Maintenance & did that for 17 years,
retiring in June 2006. Moved with my wife for her position in LA & then
back to TX. I’m now a semi-retired delivery driver for O'Reilly’s. My
most enjoyable time was building Christmas floats for the hospital every
year. Took many 2nd places & the last 3 years took 1st place. Always
enjoyed the oilfield though, due to the numerous responsibilities and
demands your were faced with everyday. But I believe the best part of the
oilfield was in Bryan/College Station where I meet and married
my Secretary.
Growing up in Phillips
impacted my life by seeing my dad working day in and day out for Phillips
Petroleum and never complaining. My dad and mother (Nina-was once the
Borger City Editor) always provided for our family, just as all the other
Phillip workers did for theirs. It seemed like a life that was only true
in one town in the whole world. So I have to say it made me see that you
can be whatever you work to be and that you can live comfortably even with
the most minute things of life. From those years my life was molded to be
a hard worker and never give up.
|
Lasting
memories:
stealing gas from the school buses and playing football w/Delmar Baldwin,
Jackie Gray, Ronald Rounsaville, Ray Robbins, Billy Don Hunt, Bill
Shannon, Robert Richardson (who got me through Miss Boyd's English class
just because he was left handed and I could see his paper for
Friday Spelling test), Keith Aderholt, Kenny Hunt & Kerry Bowling. In
1970, I broke Willie Patman (son of Mrs. Patman, the History teacher in
HS) into the Oilfield. He later became Manager of B & C Well Service &
married the daughter of the owner. I have kept up some with Pete Perry,
but not as often as I should have.
Family: Three
wives and yes "3rd time's a charm" at 38 years of age. I have 3 daughters:
one is a Frank Phillips Professor, working on her Doctorate; one owns her
own business in Canyon; the oldest daughter has followed a dream of being
a barrel racer at the age of 48 and is doing great. She and her husband
are very involved in their Cowboy church. I have one son living in
Florida working in construction. I have 8 grandchildren: oldest grandson
served in the Army & returned safe from Afghanistan 2010. He was living at
Fort Hood at the time of the shooting and is now out with an Honorable
Medical discharge and has moved back with his family to Longview TX.
Another grandson has fought his way through life with health issues, is a
graduate of Southwestern Oklahoma and is now Engineering Estimator for
Mid-Plains Construction. One granddaughter graduated from West Texas A&M
with a Bachelors in Psychology and Social Services. She is currently
working at the Borger Recreation Center. I have 7 great grandkids (6 boys
& 1 girl). Three of the boys are proving so far to be as daring, athletic
& willing to go the distance for anything as their dads!
My most remarkable experience
was living in Libya. The traditions there are so culturally primitive.
Until you live with them, you do not realize how different it is there.
|
