Mortimer Squires Jr.

Mortimer Squires, Jr. passed away Thursday, March 5,2015 at the age of 95. He was born in Morgan City, LA October 31, 1919, to Georgie Howard Squires and Mortimer Squires, Sr. Growing up, he loved to read and was an avid boxing fan. He entered LSU at the age of 15 on a scholarship, family support and numerous part-time jobs. While at LSU, he was elected president of the College of Engineering and was selected for Scabbard and Blade as an advanced ROTC student. A 1940 LSU petroleum engineering graduate, but still too young to receive his commission, he started work with the Texas Company. He was called to active duty once he turned twenty-one as a member of the Army Corps of Engineers. He participated in the building of the ALCAN Highway in which 1500 miles were built in 8 months, as part of the war effort against possible invasion of the North American continent. He was honorably discharged from active service and the Reserves as a captain. While in college, he met his future wife, Mae Aline Smith, the sister of his college roommate, Glendon Smith. After the war, he returned home to marry Aline on November 23, 1946. After his discharge from the Army , he resumed his job with The Texas Company and was involved in the development of the first offshore drilling rigs. His career was based largely in New Orleans, working for The Texas Company, AnSon Drilling, Ocean Drilling and Exploration Company (ODECO), CanAM (Netherlands) and Consolidated Natural Gas (CNG). Besides onshore Louisiana and offshore Gulf of Mexico, his work took him to the North Sea, Middle East and French Equitorial Africa. He was into exercise when exercise wasn't cool, and worked out almost every day at the New Orleans Athletic Club for fifty years. He was an avid racquetball player and participated in the Senior Olympics, becoming the Men's Racquetball Champion for the ages 80 and above. He was an elder, deacon, Sunday School teacher, and Boy Scout troop leader at Oak Park Presbyterian Church in New Orleans. After Hurricane Katrina, he and his wife moved to Baton Rouge, residing first at Village Woods Retirement Community and then at Williamsburg Senior Living Community. He loved root beer, ice cream, Cheetos and jumpsuits. He read extensively. He taught himself how to assemble and use the computer from the manual. He was preceded in death by his parents, and sisters Leslie Squires Garber and Anna Pearl Squires. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Mae Aline Smith Squires and their three children, Robert Glendon Squires (and his wife Pearl Landrum Squires), Susan Squires Cresap (and her husband Michael Patrick Cresap), and Richard Howard Squires (and his wife Yvette Brunet Squires). His seven grandchildren are Michael Barrett Cresap (and wife Deanna Daily Cresap), Jeanne Cresap McLellan (and husband Clark Norman McLellan III), Douglas Glendon Cresap (and wife Renee Tujague Cresap), Laura Squires Meza (and husband Darryl Dan Meza, Jr.), Eric Glendon Squires (and wife Veronica Cordero Squires), Jennifer Elizabeth Squires and Elizabeth Ann Squires. His ten great-grandchildren (so far) are Nathan Daniel Cresap, Michael Cooper Cresap, Clark Norman McLellan IV, Mia Claire Cresap, Ava Marie Cresap, Carter Douglas Cresap, Thomas James Meza, Madison Rose Meza, Andrew Glendon Meza and Aubrey Michelle Squires. Funeral services, officiated by the Reverend Doctor Richard Gates, are planned for 11:00 AM Thursday, March 12, 2015 at the Dunham Chapel of the First Presbyterian Church, 763 North Boulevard in Baton Rouge. Visitation will precede the service from 10:00-11:00AM with a reception at the church following the service. The family would like to thank his doctors, Dr. Leo Blaize III, Dr. Trey Blue, and Dr. Michael Castine and their staffs for the kind and excellent medical care of their father. The family would also like to thank his caregivers, Inez Tate and Katie Young, for the love and devotion they extended on a daily basis to "Pop". In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to The First Presbyterian Church of Baton Rouge (763 North Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70802), St. Joseph's Hospice Foundation (10615 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge, LA 70809) or to the Louisiana Methodist Home for Children (904 Deville Lane, Ruston, LA 71270-6313.) To leave an online condolence for the family, please do so at Rabenhorst.com.