Troy Sunkel

Troy W. Sunkel
was born June 13, 1934 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He spent his early years in DeQueen, Arkansas, before moving to Houston with his family in 1961 where he resided for many years. His later years were spent in the Bay Area, where he passed away on June 28, 2013 in Dickinson, Texas. A member of the Unity Church of Bay Area, 1911 Highway 3, League City, Texas, services will be held for him Saturday, July 6 at 10am officiated by Dr. Robert Hudspeth.
Preferring always to go by "Sunkel", throughout his life he enjoyed a successful and diverse career, working for Carnation, The Western Company of North America in the petroleum industry, and Liquid Carbonic, an industrial gas company. As a young man Sunkel worked in a skating rink where he was an expert roller-skater, a hobby he enjoyed most of his life.
An avid boater and fisherman, Sunkel loved to explore the waterways by canoe and kayak. For more than 25 years he was an active member of the Houston Chapter of the United States Power Squadron, leading many studies and surveys that benefited NOAA and the U.S. Geological Survey. He founded and was Commander of the Tres Palacios Provisional Squadron from 2000 to 2002. In 1999 he was honored with their national award for Co-Op Charting for Tide and Current Studies for NOAA.
Sunkel is survived by his wife Roberta Sunkel Garvin, ex-wife and friend Sylvia Morgan and their three daughters: Billye Jean Garrett and husband, Carl, of Kingston, OK, Glenda Janell Self of Houston, TX, and Morgan Dawn Sticklen of Round Rock, TX; and daughter Janene Mitchell and husband Steve Barton of West Hollywood, CA. He also leaves behind five grandchildren: Ronnie Killian, Brian Killian, Shelby Sticklen, Gates Self, and Walker Self and his wife Cristina. He is preceded in death by his parents, Monte Sunkel and Bertha DeGelnor, and his son Shawn Emil Sunkel.
Much loved by his family and friends, Sunkel loved to swap stories - particularly about his oil patch days and his many boating adventures.