FORREST EDWIN “EDDIE” HARRELL
1935-2017
Forrest Edwin “Eddie” Harrell, of Houston, Texas, was born June 4, 1935 in Shreveport, Louisiana and was the only child to Clementine and Fletcher Evans Harrell. He went to be with our Lord and Savior on Sunday, April 23, 2017 from complications related to a ten-year fight with Parkinson’s disease.
Eddie grew up in Shreveport before moving with his parents to Arkadelphia, Arkansas. There he attended Arkadelphia High School, where he excelled in football and baseball. Upon his graduation, Eddie chose to pass on an invitation to play semi-pro baseball, and instead, decided to enroll at the University of Texas at Austin. He often spoke of the fear and intimidation he felt the first day on campus, as he transitioned from a small town in Arkansas to the big city of Austin. Eddie studied petroleum engineering and enjoyed an active social life as a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and the Texas Cowboys. He graduated in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering and joined Humble Oil & Refining Co. (Exxon) as a reservoir engineer.
Shortly after arriving in Houston to begin his professional career, Eddie met and was immediately smitten by Sandra Sue Hannon. It was “love at first sight” and, after a six-month courtship, the two were married at St. Francis Episcopal Church on July 25, 1959. Exxon transferred Eddie and Sandra several times in those early years with stops in New Orleans, Oklahoma City and back to Houston.
After six years with Exxon, Eddie joined Tenneco Oil Company, where he held several engineering and management positions, ending as Manager of the Economics and Planning Department. He then joined Transocean Oil, Inc. as its Financial Vice President and, after a three-year tour with Transocean’s parent company Vickers Energy, was named President and CEO. Transocean was sold to Mobil Oil in late 1980.
Rather than continue with Mobil, Eddie founded Citation Oil & Gas Corp. in 1981. Under his leadership, Citation grew in its early years through a focused approach of acquiring mature, long-life, domestic oil properties from the major oil companies. The company continued its growth through the subsequent leadership of two of his three sons and today is one of the most successful privately held oil and gas companies in the United States.
Throughout his career, Eddie served in board positions and leadership roles in many corporate, professional, civic and charitable organizations. He was especially passionate about Northwest Assistance Ministries, where he served on the board and led its fundraising efforts for many years. He and Sandra were also active members of John Wesley United Methodist Church.
Eddie had a passion for golf (despite a short game curse that was passed to his sons), and was an early member at Champions Golf Club. For the past 25 years, he and Sandra lived on its 17th fairway, and Eddie was a loved and respected member of the club for over 40 years. He was also an avid long distance runner. He ran in the Houston Tenneco Marathon while donning a shirt that read “I’d rather be drilling oil wells”.
Eddie loved thoroughbred horse racing, and as a younger man, vacationed every summer with his family in Ruidoso, New Mexico to enjoy the cool mountain air and the horse racing at Ruidoso Downs. During those years, he owned a handful of cheap, underachieving thoroughbreds. But later in life, and in partnership with his wife and sons, Eddie’s passion for the horses blossomed into participation at the highest level, and he was fortunate to own multiple graded stakes winners. He reached the pinnacle of the sport when Materiality won the 2015 Florida Derby and then went on to race in two legs of the Triple Crown - the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes.
Most of all, Eddie loved his family - a proud husband to his bride of 57 years, a proud father to his three sons and a proud grandfather to twelve grandchildren. He was a man of impeccable character and strong faith. His leadership and strong presence impacted many. As a complement to his professional and family accomplishments, Eddie was profoundly generous, with a unique compassion and understanding for people and the challenges they face.
Forrest E. “Eddie” Harrell is preceded in death by his parents Clementine and Fletcher Evans Harrell. He is survived by his wife Sandra Hannon Harrell; son Forrest E. Harrell Jr., his wife Willie and grandchildren Evan, Breezi and Forrest Harrell III; son Curtis Franklin Harrell, his wife Elizabeth and grandchildren Connor, Clay and Hannah Harrell; son Keith Evans Harrell, his wife Lori and grandchildren Andy, Zach, Lucy, Luke, Will and Sam Harrell. Eddie is also survived by his beloved dog Marti, who never left his side.
A memorial service will be held on Thursday, April 27 at 2 pm at John Wesley United Methodist Church. The family requests that any donations in Eddie’s honor be made to the Harrell Family Foundation, 14077 Cutten Road, Houston, Texas, 77069 or to a charity of your choice.