John Horton Atwood

JOHN HORTON ATWOOD, a descendant of two passengers on the Mayflower, and twenty-two American Revolutionary soldiers, peacefully passed away at home, at the age of 85, on July 13, 2008, in Houston, TX. Born January 27, 1923, in Janesville, WI, the son of Leo Holmes Atwood & Besse Burch Atwood, John spent his formative years in Janesville & Fort Atkinson, WI, Evanston & Chicago, IL, and South Bend & Mishawaka, IN. John graduated from Wisconsin's Delavan High School in 1940, where he lettered in football, baseball, & basketball. After high school, John attended engineering school at the University of Wisconsin, where he played first-string half-back on the freshman football team. In 1942, John enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He made two assault landings on the Pacific Atolls of Engebi and Eniwetok, which are part of the Marshall Islands. Wounded in action, John received the Purple Heart. John was honorably discharged at the rank of Tech Sgt. After the war, John played football & baseball at Purdue University. John was a Pi Tau Sigma Scholastic Mechanical Engineering student at Purdue, where he graduated with honors in 1951 with a BSME degree. In 2007, Purdue recognized John as one of its outstanding mechanical engineers. John played two seasons of professional football for the NFL's New York Giants. John played running back, cornerback, and handled kick-off and punt returns. John spent his entire career in the petroleum industry. He was an Exec. VP with Global Marine, & founded Atwood Oceanics. Both companies were international offshore oil & gas drilling corporations & became members of the NYSE. John finished his career operating various Atwood drilling & service companies, including consulting work. John married Janet Morrissey in Elkhorn, WI on January 8, 1949. During their 59 years of marriage, John & Janet had six children, and became grandparents to twelve grandchildren. John was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters, Jane Borchert & Carol Wentworth, his daughter, Marjorie Jane Atwood, his father & mother-in-laws, five brother-in-laws, and one sister-in-law. John is survived by his wife, Janet, his children, John Holmes Atwood (Beth Novotny), Kathryn Joan Mendel (Stephen Mendel), Michael Patrick Atwood (Julie Trawick) & Patrick Kevin Atwood (Sandy Pirner), all of Katy, Texas, & his daughter, Susan Carol Box (Michael Box) of Lavon, Texas; his grandchildren, Ashley Elizabeth Atwood (Stephen Pitts), Victoria Atwood Woodyard (Alan Woodyard), Samantha Brie Atwood, Kyle Stephen Mendel, Jami Box Simons (Justin Simons), Megan Elizabeth Atwood, John Chase Atwood, Bret Tyler Atwood, Van Patrick Atwood, Colt Tanner Atwood, Quinn Tucker Atwood & Alexia Leigh Atwood; his sister, Mary Calhoun, of Estes Park, CO, and his brother-in-law, William J. Morrissey of Elkhorn, WI. John is also survived by many nieces, nephews & cousins. The family will receive friends at Earthman Funeral Home, 8303 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX, on Friday, July 18, 2008, from 7:00-9:00 p.m. A celebration of life will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Saturday, July 19, 2008, at the Earthman Funeral Home Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Lone Star Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.