Robert William Bybee

Robert William Bybee was born October 12, 1919 in Austin, Texas, the son of Hal P. Bybee and Ruth Woolery Bybee and passed away September 19, 2010. He grew up in San Angelo and Austin and was very proud to be an Eagle Scout. He learned camping, hunting and fishing at an early age. Bob graduated from Austin High School. In 1941 he graduated from The University of Texas with a B.S. in geology and was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. Bob joined Humble Oil Company (later incorporated into Exxon) in 1941. Most of his long career was spent exploring for oil and gas throughout the United States. Bob and his family lived in Louisiana, Texas and New Mexico. He was involved in Humble Oil and Exxon's first offshore exploration and for many years was operations manager of headquarters exploration for Exxon. Bob founded the New Orleans Chapter of the American Society for Oceanography and served as the first President. He later served as a national officer of this group for three years. He was also on the National Council of the Marine Technology Society. During 1970-71 he served on the Texas House of Representatives Study Committee on oceanography. In the fall of 1975, he completed two years on the Secretary of Commerce's Advisory Committee on Coastal Zone management. He also served on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the National Ocean Industries Association and was active in the American Petroleum Institute, the International Oceanographic Foundation and American Association of Petroleum Geologists. Bob was also on the Board of the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute. After his retirement in 1981, he founded Bybee International, serving as a consultant in the oil and gas business. He enjoyed People to People trips with the Petroleum Geology Delegation to China and Russia in the 1980's. His hobbies included hunting, fishing, golf and traveling. He belonged to the Houston Petroleum Club, River Oaks Country Club, The Old Baldy Club in Saratoga, Wyoming and St. Charles Bay Hunting Club, where he served as president. His wonderful wife, Elizabeth Rachal Bybee preceded him in death in 2004 having been married 65 years. He is survived by three daughters and their husbands: Betty and Bob Verplank, Corinne and Bill Simpler and Joan Bybee and Ira Jaffe; sister Martha Bybee Mills and Herbert Mills; grandchildren: Robert Verplank, Jr. and Delona Kavanaugh, Scott and Kim Verplank, Will and Michelle Simpler, Rachal and Rich Wiski, Trent Simpler and Brody Hooper and Robin Decker. There are also ten great- grandchildren. Funeral service will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 25, 2010 at First Presbyterian Church of Ft. Stockton, 202 N. Oklahoma St., Ft. Stockton, TX 79735, with Dr. James R. Miles officiating. Interment will follow at Ft. Stockton Cemetery, Ft. Stockton, TX. The Bybee family suggests any memorials be made to: UT Geology Department, The Robert W. Bybee Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 7727, Austin, TX 78713-0074. Arrangements under the direction of Sparkman/Hillcrest Funeral Home, Dallas, TX.