Alex H. Massad

Alexander Hamilton Massad passed away January 16, 2010, at the age of 86. He died in his sleep at his home in Austin, Texas. He lived in Darien from 1962 to 1965 and from 1969 to 1986.

Alex was born July 10, 1923 in Drumright, Oklahoma, the son of Lebanese immigrants. He graduated in 1943 from the University of Oklahoma, with a B.S. in petroleum engineering. He enlisted in the Navy and served in the Pacific as an Ensign aboard the USS Cross in WWII.

On January 29, 1950, he married the love of his life, Delores Jean Razook of Wichita, Kansas.

From 1946 to 1986, Alex worked for Magnolia Petroleum Company and its successor Mobil Corporation. He started as a roughneck in the Texas oilfields and then worked in various engineering and managerial jobs, in numerous locations.

In the fall of 1968, Alex was transferred back to Mobil's headquarters in New York City and he and Dee moved back to Darien. After a few years, he was promoted to Executive Vice President of Mobil Corporation and President of its Worldwide Exploration and Production Division. He was a member of Mobil's board of directors from 1977 to 1986, as well as a director of Ingersoll Rand Corporation from 1982 to 1996 and Bangor Punta Corporation for several years.

In his work for Mobil, Alex traveled all over the U.S. and to more than 60 foreign countries, often accompanied by Dee. His travels included leading Mobil's first delegation to the People's Republic of China in 1978. Among his proudest accomplishments for Mobil were the development of the Arun liquefied natural gas project in Indonesia and the exploration and development of the Statfjord field in the Norwegian North Sea. He was also closely involved in Mobil's high profile acquisition efforts in the turbulent 1980s.

In 1986, Alex retired from Mobil. He and Dee moved to Austin, where Alex served on the boards of several business, educational and charitable organizations.

Alex is survived by his wife Dee; his son Steve Massad of Houston, Texas and his daughters Caroline, Sally and Maggi; his daughter Alexis Massad Gleitman and her husband Jim Gleitman of Austin and their children Jimmy, Robert and Rachel; his son Tim Massad and his wife Charlotte Hart of Norwalk (and temporarily Washington, DC) and their children Emil and Jayne; his brother Mike Massad of Dallas; and his sisters, Minerva Massad Cohlmia and Esther Massad Samara of Oklahoma City.

Family and friends are invited to attend a memorial service and celebration of Alex's life at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, January 30, 2010 at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, 3201 Windsor Road, Austin, Texas, followed by a reception immediately after the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent in memory of Alex to Seton Hospital, 3501 Mills Ave., Austin, Texas 78731 or to Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, 3201 Windsor Road, Austin, Texas 78763.

Arrangements by Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home South Congress, 2620 S. Congress, Austin, TX 512/442-1446. You may view memorials at www.wcfish.com.