Eugene F. Reid

1926 - 2005

Eugene F. Reid Sept. 28, 1926 Oct. 2, 2005 Private services were held for Eugene F. Bud Reid in Carpinteria, California. He passed away Sunday, October 2, 2005. Eugene was born September 28, 1926 in Long Beach, California to Eugene C. and Ethel M. Reid. He attended Long Beach schools and was actively involved in the Boy Scouts of America. During WWII from 1944-1946, he served in the U.S. Navy. After his military service, he began his university studies at Stanford University. His passion for the oil and gas industry blossomed during this time. For practical experience, in the summers of 1948 and 1949, he worked as a rotary helper with his father, E. C. Reid of Gene Reid Drilling, Inc., Bakersfield, California. The family partnership kept him on a path of amazing adventures and experiences as well as great acts of charity. Eugene earned a B.S. and M.S. in Geology at Stanford University. However, the field of geology was not all that interested Eugene. The power of romance overwhelmed him as he graduated from the academic world. He married Marjorie E. Reese on June 18, 1952. In 1959, after a several years of working at Shell Oil Company in Ventura, California, Eugene joined his father at Gene Reid Drilling. The renowned entrepreneur, Armand C. Hammer, approached him and his father and acquired their business, merging it into Occidental Petroleum Corporation of Bakersfield, California. As Occidental grew in leaps and bounds, Eugene honed his creative managerial efforts and skills. He helped guide the development of oil and gas fields in Libya, Africa and eventually became Executive Vice-President of Worldwide Oil & Gas Production (1968-1971). For the years after his Occidental Petroleum service (1972- present), he managed to run privately controlled oil companies such as Sunburst Exploration, Inc., Vortex Petroleum, Inc., and Liodier, LLC. Not only interested in the oil and gas industry, Eugene became involved with many charitable causes including the Boy Scouts of America, the Pacific Crest Trail Association, the R. M. Pyles Boys Camp, the Lucile Reid Cancer Institute, and World Scouting. Most cherished by him was his work with Boy Scout organizations at the local and world levels. He became the World Jamboree Committee Chairman (1978-1979) traveling to countries such as Australia, Egypt, Ireland, Senegal, and Thailand broadening his world understanding and fund raising. Eugenes enthusiasm for these activities provided him the opportunity to chair the World Organization of the Scout Movement in Geneva, Switzerland (1990-1993). During his tenure, he and his wife participated in an audience with the Pope as well as meeting many other dignitaries. Besides his efforts in the Scouting world, Eugene served whole-heartedly in many organizations in capacities such as President for the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) (1995-1996) and for the R.M. Pyles Boys Camp. Further balancing his life, Eugene spent personal time at home playing competitive games of gin rummy and dominoes as well as gardening. His wife, Marjorie; his children, Jenny, Scott and Kip; and his grandchildren, Kip and Chad, survive him. His sister, Florence Wheeler and his son, Chet, preceded him in death. All who knew him will miss Eugenes sincerity, generosity, spirit, and boundless energy. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Association of Petroleum Geologists Foundation (AAPG Foundation), the Boy Scouts of America, the Cottage Hospital Foundation, the Thomas Wilson Dibblee, Jr. Geological Foundation, the Pacific Crest Trail Association, or the R.M. Pyles Boys Camp. Legacy.com