Dean H. Maddox

Dean H. Maddox, passed away on Sunday, the 26th of November 2023, at the age of 89. Dean was born and grew up in San Francisco, California. His father was a local radio personality and pioneer in the 1930’s-1950’s, who taught Dean to have an incredible work ethic and also imparted to Dean his lifelong love of fishing. Dean’s mother was an intellectual woman who pursued her PHD and whose ruddy New England roots and sensibilities throughout her life taught Dean his resiliency to meet any challenge.

Dean attended the University of California. He was a Kappa Sigma, a yell leader and played on the Cal golf team. He served in the U. S. Army toward the end of the Korean War. After the war, Dean earned his CPA license and joined Haskins & Sells’ San Francisco office. Dean was hired away by one of his clients (Tenneco ) in 1969 and moved his family to Houston, Texas. Over the ensuing 10+ years at Tenneco, Dean rose from leading investor relations to becoming CFO of Tenneco Oil and ultimately CFO of its parent, Tenneco Inc. During his time at Tenneco, Dean travelled the world for Tenneco raising money and helping buy businesses. These activities whetted Dean’s appetite to do these sort of things full time and, in the early 1980’s, Dean started The Maddox Interests, a boutique investment firm. Over the years Dean catered to a wide range of investors and transactions including renovating certified historical structures, tank cars, the first franchise that Creme de la Creme did nationally (in downtown Houston) and video stores in Houston and London. Dean loved what he did and never considered it work.

Dean was an athlete throughout his life. Whether playing basketball for the Army in Korea or his long tenure playing at the YMCA, or playing golf, Dean loved to compete. In the late 1970’s Dean picked up running and over the years ran several dozen marathons and qualified for (and ran in) the Boston Marathon a number of times. Dean also loved to fish and particularly enjoyed his time fishing in Galveston with long time fishing buddy Jesse Eureste, which he did regularly for years.

Dean is survived by his son, Dan (Lori); daughter, Becky (Mark); five grandchildren, Andy, Tyler, Brooke, Lily and Zach; and four great-grandchildren. Dean was preceded in his passing by one daughter, Debbie.

The family wants to specially acknowledge Dean’s longtime friend and colleague, Mary Switzer, who was invaluable to Dean over the years and who has been incredibly caring and helpful over the last several years of Dean’s life.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from three o’clock to five o'clock in the afternoon on Thursday, the 14th of December, in the grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

Prior to the visitation, the family will gather for a private inurnment in Memorial Oaks Cemetery, Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family would ask that contribution in memory of Dean be made to the Coastal Conservation Association at ccatexas.org or the Houston Humane Society at

houstonhumane.org