Robert L. Rayl

Robert L. Rayl, 86, former head of the Denver office of Phillips Petroleum (now ConocoPhillips) passed away February 21, 2014 at Holly Creek Retirement Community in Centennial, Colorado. Born October 23, 1927 on a farm in the rural town of Hughesville, Missouri, he attended a one-room schoolhouse until the family moved into Sedalia, Missouri, following the death of his father, Columbus S. Rayl. His mother, Letha E. Rayl, took charge of the family of five boys and one girl. Mr. Rayl served with the U.S. Merchant Marine as an oiler from 1945-1947 and received his bachelor's and master's degrees in Geology at the University of Missouri in Columbia, graduating in 1952. He met and married Margaret E. Hill in 1949 while both were attending the University of Missouri in Columbia, and they welcomed their first child, Patti Lynne, in 1950 and had twins Linda Lee and Karen Ann in 1953. Mr. Rayl worked at Phillips Petroleum for 34 years. He achieved a steady ascension in the company, moving from Billings, Montana to the company's headquarters in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and then Denver and Houston. Mr. Rayl spent three years in London, England as Chairman and Managing Director for Phillips in the U.K. He returned to Denver in 1982 to run the Western Division. Mr. Rayl retired in 1986 and settled in Denver. He is survived by his wife of close to 65 years, Margaret Rayl; daughters Patti Rayl Watts, Linda Rayl Pittman, and Karen Rayl Bassham; a grandchild and two great-grandchildren; and his sister, Marjory Rayl Peterson and brother John Robert Rayl. Services to be held at Holly Creek Retirement Community Fellowship Hall on Thursday, March 13th at 2pm, 5500 E. Peakview Ave., Centennial.