Thurman Burl Geddie

Thurman Burl Geddie died November 5th at his home in Austin, Texas surrounded by his family after a long battle with Sarcoma cancer. He celebrated his 95th birthday just days prior to his death. He was born in Grand Saline, Texas to Emma Elizabeth Riggs Geddie and James Prentice Geddie. He attended high school in Grand Saline and entered The University of Texas at Austin in 1940, graduating in 1945 with a BS degree in Geology. There he met Sharon Haden Smith of McAllen, Texas and they were married in 1945. Together they had 3 children, Sharon April, Carey Leigh, and James Anthony. He began his career at Barnsdall Oil Company in Corpus Christi, TX in 1945 near the end of WWII. Barnsdall transferred Thurman to Lake Charles LA in 1950, where he served as head geologist overseeing exploration and on site drilling. Thurman moved to Houston in 1951 where he partnered with Hedley & Jordan Oil & Gas for many years as an independent geologist. In 1965 Thurman married Beverly Lowry of Houston, TX and together they had one child, Susan Elizabeth. Beverly brought two children to the marriage, Linda Kay and Bruce Wayne Lowry. In 1974 he partnered with J.W McFarlane of McFarlane Oil Company where he managed all phases of drilling, exploration, production and property acquisition. Together they developed a successful oil producing field in Placedo, TX. They worked together for many years discovering and developing oil and gas wells in south and east TX. In 1977 Thurman and his brother Prentice Odell Geddie, formed Geddie Oil Co. where they worked together on many oil & gas ventures until Prentice died in 1991. In 1979 McFarlane Oil Company merged with Global Natural Resources in Houston where Thurman worked till 1985 when he moved to Austin, TX. There he worked for Larry Barnes Petroleum for 10 years while also continuing his work with Geddie Oil Company. During this time he helped develop several new discoveries and one major gas field. Thurman loved his profession and continued to work until just a few months before his death. Thurman was predeceased by his parents Emma Elizabeth and James Prentice Geddie, his daughter, Carey Leigh Chastain, and his brother Prentice Odell. He was a member of University Avenue Church of Christ, The American Association of Petroleum Geologist, Houston Geological Society, and the Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists (SIPES). He is survived by his wife, Beverly, his children, April and husband Robert Watson, Tony and wife Teresa Geddie, Susan and husband Steve O'Brien, stepdaughter, Linda Lowry, stepson, Bruce and wife Pam Lowry and son-in-law, Steve Chastain. He leaves a legacy of 15 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren, and 4 great-great grandchildren. Thurman loved his family, his friends, and the Texas Longhorns. He attended nearly every home football game at Memorial Stadium for over 60 years. Visitation will be held on Thursday, November 10th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 North Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78705. Funeral services will be on Friday, November 11, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. in the Weed-Corley-Fish Chapel with Mr. Eddie Sharp officiating. Graveside services will be at 11:00 a.m. on November 12th at Woodside Cemetery in Grand Saline. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to The Amschwand Sarcoma Cancer Foundation, 2726 Bissonnet St., Ste 240-314, Houston TX 77005-1352 info@sarcomacancer.org.; the University Avenue Church of Christ, 1903 University Ave Austin, TX 78705, or charity of your choice.