Gordon Randall Dysart, beloved husband, father, brother and uncle passed away quietly on Friday, August 23, 2013, peacefully, and with the grace and dignity he exhibited in life. Gordon was born on November 20, 1927 in Dallas, Texas to Leland Thornton Dysart, Sr. and Martha Alice Randall Dysart. He was a 5th generation Texan. His great grandfather, Thomas McConnell, was a member of the Congress of the Republic of Texas and founder of the city of Port Lavaca, Texas. Gordon married Lucy Cary Lowry of Dallas at the Church of the Incarnation Episcopal Church in Dallas. They had two children, Katherine Cary Dysart Messenger and Lucile deWarren Dysart, both of whom preceded him in death. Gordon graduated from Highland Park High School and the University of Texas at Austin. He became a Petroleum Engineer, starting his career with Standard Oil Company of Texas, where he supervised drilling, workovers, waterfloods and stimulation. He then transferred to the SACROC unit (Scurry Area Canyon Reef Operators Committee) when Standard assumed operation of the unit. In 1970, he joined DeGolyer and MacNaughton and became Vice President of the International Unit in 1975. At DeGolyer and MacNaughton, he evaluated and certified reserves of oil and gas companies and properties and oversaw large drilling projects. He also held several patents for stimulation of oil and gas production. Gordon was a seasoned international traveler and traveled abroad extensively most of his career. His travels took him to 21 countries and spanned all continents. During the North Sea boom he spent many months overseeing offshore drilling. Gordon was President of numerous professional organizations and societies, including the Dallas Petroleum Engineers Club; Dallas and Snyder sections of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, in which he was cited as a Distinguished Member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers; Nomads-International Oilmen's Society; Sons of the Republic of Texas; and Sons of the American Revolution. He was a licensed private pilot and active member of the Rush Creek Yacht Club. Although Gordon was active in many organizations, his lifelong hobby was the collection of antique and classic cars and participation in several car clubs, including the Rolls Royce Owners Club, Classic Car Club of America, Mercedes Benz Owners Club and the Horseless Carriage Club of America. Upon his retirement in 1991, Gordon and his wife, Lucy, moved to Wimberley, Texas. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Lucy Dysart; brother Leland Thornton Dysart Jr. and wife Patricia of Anna , Texas; niece Randall Willey; niece Pandora Dysart and husband Earl Wood of Sanger, Texas; nephew Leland Thornton Dysart III, wife Shawna, great-niece Kathryn Dysart and great-nephew Leland Thornton Dysart IV, all of Pearland, Texas; nephew Robert Fain Dysart, wife Leonie and great-niece Emma Dysart, all of Anna, Texas; nephew Clark Craig Willey, wife Lisa, great-niece Shannon Willey and great-nephew Jared Willey, all of Frisco, Texas; nephew William Hathaway of Woodbridge, Virginia; and niece Martha Hathaway of Albany, New York. Gordon was predeceased by his two sisters, Martha Alice Dysart Willey and Eunice Warren Dysart Hathaway. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 21, 2013 at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Wimberley, Texas. Private inurnment at Coffman Cemetery for the family only.
Published in Dallas Morning News on September 14, 2013