Edwin Moss DeMouche

Edwin Moss DeMouche passed away December 11, 2002, a loving and dedicated husband, father, grandfather, uncle and best friend to so many. He will be remembered for his kindness and generosity to others. Ed was born September 29, 1923 in Corpus Christi, Texas to Mable Moss DeMouche and Louis H. DeMouche, both who preceded him in death. His only son, Timothy Gordon DeMouche, also preceded him. He is survived by his loving wife of sixty years, Jacquelyn Louise DeMouche; his devoted daughter, Rebecca DeMouche; his beloved grandchildren: Morgen Ashley DeMouche, Matilda DeMouche and Louis Auricchio, II; his son-in-law, Lou Auricchio and another daughter, Leah Auricchio. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in October 1940, attended Army Air Corps Flying School in 1942 and graduated as a pilot from Blackland Field, Waco, Texas in 1943. He served as an instructor pilot in Martin B-26's in Florida and Louisiana prior to overseas service in the European Theater of Operations from 1944 to 1945. He flew as a group lead pilot with the First Pathfinder, Ninth Air Force and was released from duty in November 1945 as a First Lieutenant. Following the war, Ed returned to South Texas where he enrolled in Texas College of Arts and Industry, Kingsville, Texas. He graduated in May 1949 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering. Fresh out of school, he went to work for Houston Pipeline. As he rose through the ranks, he served in numerous roles including engineer trainee, measurement engineer, superintendent of gas control, manager of gas supply and executive assistant to the vice president. Two of his most significant accomplishments with Houston Pipeline included negotiating the purchase of several highly profitable gasoline plants throughout the Texas Gulf Coast and being instrumental in the purchase of Bammel Field and its subsequent conversion into an underground natural gas storage reservoir. Eventually, Ed became a director and vice- president of HNG Petrochemicals, a subsidiary of Houston Pipeline, which handled sales of crude oil and natural gas liquids. In 1971, he took early retirement and immediately stepped into vice presidency of United Gas, Inc. He ultimately became senior vice president for the parent company, Entex, Inc. He was also president of two Entex companies, Louisiana Gas Transmissions and Unit Gas Transmissions. He served on the board of directors for both of those firms as well as two other Entex companies, Allied Materials Corp. and Unit Development Co. He retired in 1986 to spend more time with his family and divided his time between his home in Houston and his summer home on the San Bernard River near Churchill. Despite his hectic executive schedule, he remained involved in the advancement of his alma mater. He was a founding member of the Texas A&I Alumni Association as well as a board member from 1967 to 1970. He was a generous participant in the creation of the university's first endowed professorship honoring the late Dr. Frank Dotterweich. Ed and Jacque established one of the first Alumni Academic Endowment scholarships in 1989 to benefit engineering students in the Gregory/Portland area. He and Jacque are both charter members of the alumni association's Century Club and Endowed Diamond Century Club, as well as recipients of the Association's Silver Spur, Golden Cactus and the Tower Awards for cumulative giving to the Alumni Fund for Excellence. Ed was a member of St. Martin's Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas. He was also a life member of Gregory Lodge 993 AF&AM in Taft, Texas. He was a life member of the Natural Gas Association of Houston, a member of the B-26 Marauder Historical Society, member of POPS (Pioneers of Petroleum) and a member of HAMM (Houston Area Marauder Men). The DeMouche family will receive friends, Sunday, December 15, 2002 from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. in the evening at Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive. Funeral services will be held, Monday, December 16, 2002 at 2:00 P.M. in the afternoon at St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road, with The Rev. Dr. Laurence A. Gipson, The Rev. Dr. Peter G. Thomas and The Rev. Richard H. Elwood officiating. A graveside service will be held Tuesday, December 17, 2002 at 2:00 P.M. in the afternoon at Rose Hill Cemetery in Corpus Christi, Texas. In lieu of flower, the family requests that memorials be made to St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road, Houston, Texas 77056 or to the charity of choice. Funeral Arrangements by: Geo H. Lewis & Sons 1010 Bering Drive Houston, TX 77057 (713) 789-3005