Charles Weiner

Charles Weiner, born on the 22nd of April 1923, in El Dorado, Arkansas, to Sam “Skipper” and Lillian Blanc Weiner, passed away in Houston on Wednesday, the 6th of April 2016. He was 92. Charles grew up in the oilfields as the family followed Skipper from Arkansas, through Northern California and Wink, Texas settling finally in Fort Worth, where Charles attended high school.

As a founding partner of the original Texas Crude Oil Company (1941) with his brothers Ted and Stanley and sister Marjorie Weiner Bodzy, Charles in his typical humble manner always said, “Ted was the smart one; Stanley made it happen; and I was lucky to be their brother!”

Significant to Charles was his WW II enlistment into the U.S. Army Air Corps (1942). He completed AFTS for meteorology, radio and electronics communications training at Yale University, Class 1943-H, was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Air Force in 1944, and participated in the China-Burma-India Theatre. Among other honors for service, the Chinese Air Force awarded Charles the Order of Southwest Wind. Placed on Inactive Reserve (1946), Charles returned to college graduating from UT Austin in 1948 with BS in Geology – the first in his family to earn a college degree.

Charles continued his lifelong passion for technology, science and medicine through unending independent study, interrupted only by recall to the Air Force during the Korean War (1950 – 1951) where he earned a battlefield promotion to Captain and received USMC and the Fifteenth Air Force commendations.

Following Korea, Charles returned to active participation in the family business pioneering many oilfield applications of technology. He operated and drilled wells throughout the United States, particularly the Gulf Coast and West Texas, and around the world.

In 1962, Charles assumed Chief Operating responsibility and moved the headquarters to Houston. After the death of his brothers, Charles ran the exploration and production company independently. At last count, he had participated in the discovery of almost a billion barrels of oil in eight countries on four continents as well as almost a trillion feet of gas. He also had experience in mining for lead, zinc, coal and barite.

Never one to sit around, in 2004 at the age of 82, Charles formed Westerly Exploration to begin his own independent operations again.

Charles’ continued passion for learning provided him a breadth of knowledge inconceivable in today’s Digital Age. He could connect with any individual in a matter of minutes - a taxi driver in Paris, France, a bus boy at Le Peep Restaurant in Houston, or a Lead Research Scientist at MIT.

Heads of companies sought out Charles for his wisdom, knowledge and experience. He served as Chairman of Southern Crude Company, Texas Crude, Inc., Texas Crude Energy, Inc., Kane Industries, Frontier International Petroleum, Delta Communications in Meridian, Mississippi, Pipeline Transportation, Inc., Norton Coal Company of Kentucky, Old Soldier Mining, Coral Drilling, Inc., Tidal, Inc. and B. L. McFarland. He served on the board of Fluor Corporation (1969-84) in various capacities and also as President of Mills Leasing, Inc.

Charles’ love of technology and belief in the future of electronic data communications led him to serve as president of Universal Data Acquisition, Inc. The technical concepts generated behind its doors were foundational to the business world’s infrastructure today. Charles was surely a man ahead of his time.

Charles was proud to be a Certified Petroleum Geologist and Geoscientist with eighty-two years of industry experience earned through worldwide exploration.

Charles actively participated in numerous professional organizations including American Association of Petroleum Geologists (Lifetime Member), American Association of Petroleum Geologists Foundation (former Chairman and Trustee Associate), American Petroleum Institute, and American Geological Institute (Trustee). He was a founder of the Log libraries of the Ordovician Society in Midland and Southern States Log Library in Houston.

For The University of Texas at Austin, Charles served as a member of the Bureau of Economic Geology, the President's Associates, and the Advisory Council of the Geology Foundation of the Jackson School of Geosciences.

Charles’ professional awards and recognitions include: Induction into The Permian Basin Petroleum of Hall of Fame (1989); Legion of Honor Certificate from the Gulf Coast Section of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (1998); the Drake Well Foundation’s Colonel Edwin L. Drake Legendary Oilman Award (2001); the Chairman Award from The AAPG Foundation (2014); and the naming of the Charles Weiner Center for Geosciences and Society by the American Geosciences Institute established in honor of his continued support to their public K-12 educational activities to teach earth sciences with accurate scientific information and provide a source of unbiased information to the public (2016).

Truly Charles was a man of great vision, integrity, compassion and empathy, who was a "soft touch" for anyone in distress. He always responded with respect for the individual and in a manner that allowed the recipient to maintain his or her dignity. He was unpretentious and spoke often of how much he appreciated the support and guidance of his colleagues and freely gave credit to others.

Charles is survived by the love of his life, Anita Kane, his wife, companion and muse of 63 years whom he married on the 27th of December 1952. Together they traveled the world for fun and business with many friends and family enjoying all it had to offer.

They have five children: son Kane and spouse Randa and their daughter Cameron; son Collier and spouse Patti and their children Katherine “Katy “Bernard-Weiner Lutz and spouse Griffon Lutz, Alexandria “Alexi “Bernard Weiner, and George Bernard Weiner; daughter Laurel Weiner; daughter Sally Weiner and spouse Ginny Moffat and their daughter Ellie Moffat; daughter, Tevia McLaren, and spouse Chris and their sons Lorn and Duncan; as well as his many nieces and nephews for whom he cared very much. He was preceded in death by his parents, Sam and Lilian Weiner; his brothers Ted, Stanley and Max Weiner, and sisters Marjorie Weiner Bodzy and Ruth Weiner.

The family wishes to especially thank Rene Cuenod for his outstanding service, companionship and friendship to Charles without which Charles’ last few years would not have been so well lived. The family thanks as well Dr. Stephen Lapin and Dr. Emily Barker, Houston Hospice - particularly Paige H., and Charles’ caregivers Lupita Galvan, Pearily Savage, Beverly Jackson, Tanya Horace, Sheila Hill and Corlethia Edwards for their assistance in caring for Charles.

Friends are cordially invited to join the family and share remembrances of Charles during a memorial reception to be held from six until eight o’clock in the evening on Monday, the 11th of April, in the grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

At a later date, the family will gather for a private inurnment at Houston National Cemetery.

In lieu of customary remembrances, Charles would have preferred that donations be directed to the AGI's Charles Weiner Center for Geoscience and Society, 4220 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22302. Contact: Dr. Pat Leahy, Executive Director AGI Foundation Tel: 703-379-2480 Email: pleahy@agiweb.org; or to the charity of one’s choice.