John Devault

1937 - 2016

John Lee DeVault
1937-2016
John Lee DeVault, 79, peacefully departed this life on August 24, 2016 in Houston, Texas, after a brief illness with his wife Jan and sons Bryan and Chris at his side.
Born August 4, 1937 in Kansas City, Missouri, John's life was a spectacular adventure. He was the son of Isaac Henderson DeVault and wife Evelyn Margaret Rowell. John started school in Chicago, Illinois and moved to Springfield, Illinois at the age of seven. As a youth, he worked at Seck-DeVault Paint Company (a paint manufacturing company owned by his father) before entering Culver Military Academy in 1951 and graduating in 1955. He was a member of ROTC and became a career reservist.
John attended the University of Illinois on a football scholarship after being named a Little All-American at Culver. A better mathematician than football player, (he often joked about being a tackle dummy for the Fighting Illini varsity), he transferred to Case Institute of Technology (Case Western Reserve) earning a BChE and later receiving a BS degree in Mathematics from MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois. He received his private pilot's license at the University of Illinois' Institute of Aviation at 19. During his time at Case, he joined Phi Delta Theta (he claimed the food was really good in the frat house) and continued to maintain his Phi Delt connection as part of its Houston alumni group.
At 23, John hopped on a cargo ship and headed to France with no particular goal in mind. When his money ran out in Paris, he found a job as a seismic computer (at a time when computers were people rather than machines) on a Compagnie Générale de Géophysique (CGG) crew. This event began a career as an exploration geophysicist that spanned more than 50 years and led to work on every continent but the Antarctica. His association with France also created an appreciation of food, wine, and art, interests which continued through his life.
Over the years, he worked for United Geophysical Corporation (in various capacities from "jug hustler" to "party chief"), Austin Powder Company (where he flew dynamite into Paraguay, barely avoiding arrest by Gen. Alfredo Stroessner's regime), and Digicon, Inc. (where he established one of the original "playback centers" in Houston using digital computers for the enhancement geophysical data). He was involved with important oil and gas discoveries in Australia, Alaska, and Peru. His early mapping in the Australian outback led him to be a Fellow in the Explorer's Club headquartered in New York. He survived two plane crashes and one high-jacking. He lived for several years in Australia and Alaska before Houston became home in the early 1970s. In 1974, he joined SERCEL, Inc., a French geophysical instrumentation manufacturer, establishing it in the United States, South America, and Australia and propelling the brand into a position of world leadership. In later years, John entered into oil and gas ventures as an operator, consultant and board member to various companies.
John served as President of the Geophysical Society of Houston, President of the Texas Section of the American Institute of Professional Geologists, First-Vice President of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, and Vice-President of the International Association of Geophysical Contractors. He held memberships in numerous local professional societies focused on the geosciences. As one of John's friends observed, "He was a great man and a pioneer in our industry, always looking at innovation and trying to encourage young people."
John was passionate about education. He served a six year stint as the chairman of the development committee for the Legion Board of Culver Academies. After graduate studies at the University of Houston, he was an enthusiastic Cougar and served on the Advisory Board of the Honors College at the University of Houston.
John mastered the art of balancing work and social activities. He loved the "ceremony of the table" and entertaining at home. He believed that Louis Roederer Cristal could and should be served at any and every meal. He served on the Board of Directors of the Houston Club and was a long-time member of their Wine Committee. He also belonged to numerous wine and food societies and at the time of his death was a member of Le Comité Permanent of Les Amis d'Escoffier Le Chapitre de Houston.
As a young man, John followed in the steps of his grandfather and embraced the Masonic tradition. He was raised in Springfield's St. Paul's Lodge No. 500 and served as its Grand Master at the very early age of 22. In Houston, John affiliated with Holland Lodge No. 1 and was an endowed member. He also held membership in numerous Masonic organizations including the Scottish Rite, and the Shriners.
John was a member of Bethany Christian Church.
With his big heart, John loved his family and was a fervent supporter of their endeavors. In addition to his wife Jan, he is survived by his son Bryan DeVault and wife Ariette Kerckhoff and grandchildren, Nicholas and Mark of The Woodlands; and his son Chris and wife Chelsey King and grandchildren Madeline, Jacqueline, Alexander, and Vivienne of Katy. "Pere-pere" to his six grandchildren, he was unabashedly proud of them. He is also survived by his mother-in-law Ruth Miller and brother-in-law Lee Miller both of Midland, and nephews Scott Monette and wife Mirta de Leon, and children Tomas and Emily of Katy; and Jeff Monette and wife Natasha Flores and children Sophia and Connor, also of Katy. John leaves his sister Nancy DeVault and her husband Paul Mitchell of Auburn, Alabama and nephews, Paul B. Mitchell and wife Marilyn and children, Brennan, Ryan, and Megan of Atlanta, Georgia; and Charles Mitchell, wife Lisa and daughter Emory of Naples, Florida.
He was grateful for the care and concern of Dr. Rachael Theriault and her team.
Graveside services will be held on Saturday, September 10 at 1:00 p.m. at Glenwood Cemetery (Stream Garden section), 2525 Washington, Houston followed by a reception for friends and family at Charivari Restaurant, 2521 Bagby, at 2:30 p.m.
Those wishing to commemorate John's life can send donations in his honor to Shriner's Hospital, 815 Market Street, Galveston, TX 77550; the San Jacinto Battleground Conservancy, P. O. Box 940536, Houston, TX 77094; Escoffier Society of Houston, % Charles Carroll, River Oaks Country Club, 1600 River Oaks Blvd., Houston, TX 77019 or a charity of your choice.
"Zeal to dare" from the 1912 poem "The Spirit of Culver" epitomized John's life. In spite of a chronic bone infection which affected his mobility late in life, he never gave up and continued to challenge and encourage those around him. He was an explorer who made a difference in his chosen profession, and exhorted his family and friends to be unafraid of the next adventure.