Audra B. Cary

Audra B. Cary of Midland, Texas passed away on Sunday, November 7, 2010, following a lengthy illness. Audra was born on April 13, 1928 in Amarillo, Texas, the only son of Mary and A.B. Cary. He was raised in Colorado City, Texas, graduating from Colorado City High School, in 1946. After high school, he went on to Lubbock, Texas to pursue his college education at Texas Tech University. He was a senior at Tech when he met his future wife, Jackie Yvonne DuBose. They married on December 8, 1950, one week before his shipment to the 5th Armed Division, Combat Command B, at Camp Chafee in Fort Smith, Arkansas. After serving three years in the Army, Audra received his discharge papers, and then returned to Texas Tech where he completed his studies - 2 1/2 years of petroleum engineering course work, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology, in 1953. He immediately entered the petroleum industry with the Texas Railroad Commission in Pampa, Texas, where he worked in the Panhandle gas fields, testing wells and calculating results. In 1954, Audra joined Skelly Oil Company as 'the lowest engineer on the totem pole' with responsibility in testing, drilling and workovers in the Pampa fields. During the late 1950's 'oil boom', Audra and his team of engineers and field foreman drilled and completed two hundred wells. Audra Cary worked for Skelly Oil Company until its merger with Getty Oil Company in January, 1977. Throughout his tenure with Skelly, he went from being the 'lowest engineer on the totem pole' to the District Exploration and Production Manager, supervising 12,000 operating wells and the operation of thirteen large waterflood units in Texas and New Mexico (where he helped discover the War-Wink Field); and also overseeing the staff of six area superintendents. Transferring every four years, Audra and his family were moved from Pampa, Texas to Tulsa, Oklahoma; Monahans, Texas, back to Pampa, and finally in 1969 - Midland. After his retirement from Getty, he continued his love for the petroleum industry, as the Operations Manager for Maddox Energy Corporation, and as Division Drilling and Production Manager for Forest Oil Corporation, where he helped discover the North Corrigan Field. Audra was also well-known in his circle, for the uncanny ability to find underground water streams when no one else could. He was able to use this ability to help countless people drill for water on both private and corporate lands. His love for his family was only matched by his love for music. A self-taught musician that played by ear, he enjoyed playing the piano, the guitar, and even the fiddle, which he learned at an early age. His favorite performances were those when he was surrounded by family or friends, and he shared his talent long after retirement, with a group of musician friends that would gather at his house to play music together. Considered a man with the highest integrity and with a ‘character beyond reproach’, like many of his generation, his handshake was his word. He valued his employees, friends and family, and treated each one as an individual that deserved respect. Audra loved God and was a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church where he was active in the Fellowship Sunday School Class. He served the community by sitting on the board of the Permian Basin Oil Show, as well as the original development committee that created The Petroleum Museum. He is preceded in death by his parents, A.B. and Mary Cary and his granddaughter, Jennifer Lauren Mladenka. Audra is survived by his loving wife of almost 60 years, Jackie DuBose Cary; two daughters, Cindi Cary Mladenka of Midland and Brenda Cary Brown of Flower Mound, Texas, along with their families Mark Mladenka, and children Zach and Madison Mladenka Luikens, and Michael Mladenka, all of Midland; Christopher Brown of Flower Mound and daughters April Brown and Kristen Brown, both of Austin,TX; his sister, Margaret Cary Billingsley and husband Bill of Abilene, TX; niece Kathie Billingsley Eggleston of Dunn, TX; and nephew Cary Billingsley of Midland, as well as numerous brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews and cousins. Funeral services are scheduled for 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, November 10, 2010 at the First United Methodist Church in Midland with Dr. Tim Walker officiating. Interment will follow at Resthaven Memorial Park. Arrangements are under the direction of Ellis Funeral Home. Condolences may be offered at www.ellisfunerals.com. Pallbearers include his family – sons-in-law, Mark Mladenka and Chris Brown; nephew Cary Billingsley, grandson Michael Mladenka and his new grandson-in-law, Zach Luikens. Honorary pallbearers are former colleagues from Skelly Oil Company, Leland Franz, Tom Fulton, Jim Moring and Jerry Stephens. Memorials on his behalf may be directed to First United Methodist Church, Youth Ministry Fund, 300 N. Baird Street Midland, TX 79701