MORRIS L. ETHEREDGE

1922-2020

Morris L. Etheredge, 97, of Houston, Texas, passed on to be with his Lord on April 19, 2020. He was born in Ennis, Texas on December 5, 1922, to William Boykin and Winnie Lea Etheredge, who were also born in Texas. Morris is survived by his wife of 70 years, Jean Etheredge of Houston, Texas and two sons, Mark Etheredge and wife Kathy of Smithville, Texas and Don Etheredge of Bella Vista, Arkansas, six grandchildren and four great grandchildren. He graduated from Central High School, Tulsa, Oklahoma and in 1940 he attended Oklahoma A & M College (now Oklahoma State) and later attended the University of Texas where he earned a BS degree in Petroleum Engineering. After graduation, he worked for Stanolind Oil and Gas (later AMOCO and now BP) as a mud engineer on drilling rigs along the Gulf coast and he participated in the early offshore Gulf of Mexico drilling operations. In 1948, he was visiting his parents in Dallas, Texas and he met Jean Elizabeth Lee, and they were married in 1950. He worked as a Petroleum Engineer in various locations, developing new and different geological interpretations for old oil fields that resulted in drilling over 500 new oil wells that recovered millions of barrels of bypassed oil. He took voluntary early retirement from AMOCO after 31 years and opened his own office to continue the same type of work finding locations to drill in old salt dome fields for another 20 years with his wife, Jean. In addition to working together at their office, they gave to others for many years including delivering Meals on Wheels to those in need. Morris was a member of First Methodist Church in Houston and was a devout follower of the Christian faith in all that he did. A private service will be held for the family.