Charles Bruce Koons

1929-2023

Charles Bruce Koons was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1929 and passed away on April 12, 2023 at the age of 93. Bruce was the only child of Charles and Mary Koons.

He completed elementary and middle schools in Oklahoma and Illinois, and high school in McLeansboro, Illinois, graduating salutatorian in his class. He attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois, graduating with a B. S. degree in chemistry, high honors, in 1951.

At the beginning of the Korean War, Bruce enlisted in the U.S. Navy and received training in the Hospital Corps. He served 3 ½ years, with duty in Korean and Japanese areas during the war, serving with the Seabees, in Fleet Epidemic Disease Control Unit #1, and aboard the U.S.N. Heavy Cruiser Los Angeles (CA-135). He attained the rank of Petty Officer 2nd Class.

Bruce studied chemistry on a U. S. Rubber Company research fellowship at the University of Minnesota in 1954, graduating with a Ph.D. degree in Organic Chemistry. He married Margaret, a native of St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1956.

Bruce then joined Exxon Research Co. in Tulsa, Oklahoma as a research geochemist. In 1965 Exxon transferred him to Houston, Texas, where he continued in research until 1989, retiring as a Research Advisor. He worked as an independent research consultant in geochemistry and environmental chemistry for the next five years.

Bruce published over forty papers in analytical chemistry, petroleum geochemistry and environmental chemistry. During the 1970’s and 1980’s, he served on ExxonMobil’s world-wide oil spill response committee, and he was the lead technical advisor on fate and effects of oil spills. The American Petroleum Institute in 1984 awarded Bruce a Certificate of Recognition for his work in chairing the Institute’s Committee on Environmental Fate and Effects of Petroleum and Related Substances. Bruce served on three U.S. National Academy of Sciences committees, which prepared two reports in 1975 and 1985 on the Fate and Effects of Petroleum in the Marine Environment and four reports (1990-1993) dealing with U.S. Outer Continental Shelf environmental studies.

Bruce received on May 25, 1993 a Certificate of Appreciation from the Academy. Bruce is also recognized in American Men and Women in Science, Who’s Who in Technology and Who’s Who in the South and in the Southwest. He was a long-time member of the American Chemical Society, reaching 66 years of service in 2023.

Bruce was active in the work of public schools. He served as a volunteer mentor in elementary schools of the Spring Branch Independent School District for over ten years, as well as a substitute teacher in middle and high schools in the same school district for over five years.

Bruce loved Jesus and His Church. He and wife Margaret were charter members (since 1965) of Christ Memorial Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Houston. Bruce served as a layman in many different areas of ministry: president of the congregation, elder, board of education, outreach, Sunday School teacher, and adult Bible class leader. In 1996 he began a second career as Director of Outreach. He served at this position until November of 2022. The congregation honored him and Margaret in January by the creation of the Bruce and Margaret Koons Mission Fund, in recognition of their years of service for the Church, especially their passionate support of evangelism worldwide.

In addition to his parents, Bruce was preceded in death by his wife Margaret. He is survived by his children Robert (Deborah), David, and Steven; his grandchildren Emily (Ryan), Elizabeth “Betsy” (Eric), Benjamin (Alexandra), and Christine; his great grandchildren John Charles, Margaret Mary, and Flora Margaret.

A memorial service will be held at Christ Memorial Lutheran Church, 14200 Memorial Drive, Houston, Texas 77079 on Thursday, May 18th at 11 am. In lieu of flowers, we would appreciate your consideration of a donation to the Bruce and Margaret Koons Mission Fund at CMLC, https://secure.myvanco.com/L-Z6PP/campaign/C-13M8Z

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cookwaldencapitalparks.com for the Koons family.

https://philanthropydaily.com/more-than-a-name-honoring-a-memory/