Roll Call Tribute
William "Ben" Adair '48 November 14, 2017 2:02 PM updated: November 14, 2017 2:04 PM
Published in Houston Chronicle on Nov. 19, 2017
William Adair(1927 - 2017)
William B. "Ben" Adair
1927-2017
William B. Adair, known earlier as W.B. and later as Ben, was born on September 12, 1927, the second of four children, near Lamesa, Texas to Elvin Marshall Adair and Ruth Harrell Alldredge Adair and died peacefully on November 10, 2017.
Ben graduated from Lamesa High School in 1944 and then entered Texas A&M's Corps of Cadets in September in the Aggie Class of '48. After three semesters of engineering studies, Ben entered the U.S. Army in February of 1946. From October of 1946 through July 1947 he served in the U.S. Army's 5250th Technical Intelligence Corps in the occupation of Japan at the end of WWII as Chief Clerk, Central Intelligence Section in downtown Tokyo. Honorably discharged on July 4, 1947, Ben re-entered the Aggie Corps of Cadets in the Cavalry. As a Junior, he was selected to be a Ross Volunteer. Later, after serving in the Cavalry Battalion as Cadet Major as a senior, he received his Aggie Senior Ring and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant of Armored Cavalry in June 1949 and was in the Army Reserves until 1953.
Marrying his college sweetheart, Barbara Eunice Reed, on September 9, 1950, they began a 4-month honeymoon while Ben finished college at the University of Texas in Austin, receiving a BS in Petroleum Engineering in February 1951. He then embarked on a successful 20-year career in petroleum engineering on the engineering and design side of the "oil patch" in a wide range of professional engineering, sales and management jobs with oil and gas manufacturing companies, working around the world.
At age 40, with 4 children, Ben entered South Texas School of Law, working full time as an engineer and also taking full course loads. Active in student activities, he was Vice Dean of Delta Theta Pi Legal fraternity, Supreme Court Chief Justice of the student body, and Associate Editor of the South Texas Law Journal. He graduated in 30 months, 5th in his class of 1971.
On invitation from a law school classmate, Ben and three others formed a law firm in early 1972 which became Byrnes, Meyers, Adair, Campbell & Sinex, adding associates and increasing to 25+ lawyer by 1982. In 1983, this firm amicably split up and the successor firm of Adair and Myers was formed. This firm is still active in Houston. Ben was a general practitioner and trial lawyer for a total 35 years. After 1995, he limited his practice to work on probate and wills, while he and Barbara accrued about 10,000 hours each as volunteers with MD Anderson's Children's Art Project over a period of 11 years. Ben and Barbara were named Volunteers of the Year at the Project.
Living in the Meyerland subdivision since 1956, Ben and Barbara were active with many civic activities. St. Thomas Episcopal Church was one of the first and most important to them, with service in the Fall Fair, Women's Board, Sunday School teaching, Lay Reader, and church vestry. Ben was also a Mason, Arabia Shriner and in the Scottish Rite for over 50 years. Both were active in many activities with their 4 children. Barbara served as Treasurer and Den Mother, and Ben served as Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Explore Advisor, Junior Achievement Advisor and Little League Coach, Manager and League Vice President. Ben and Barbara also served in Meyerland's Precinct 176 as Election Clerks, Precinct Chair and Election Judge for over 50 years. They also were active in alumni activities for both their own colleges and their children's. Ben and Barbara were true partners and still sweethearts after over 67 years of marriage. They would say "We represented that remark."
Ben was preceded in death by his son, William B. "Bill" Adair (earlier "Bud Adair"), his parents Elvin Marshall Adair and Ruth Harrell Alldredge Adair, his sister Dorothy Lee Adair Pounds and her husband Joe Pounds. He is survived by his college sweetheart, wife and love of his life, Barbara Eunice Reed Adair, three children, Marshall Reed Adair and wife, Gloria Dawn Adair, Edward Brian Adair and wife, Shareen Adair, Rebecca Maree Adair Beloney and husband, Charles "Chuck" Beloney, grandchildren Michael Reed Adair, Chelsea Maree Downey, Davis Mitchell Downey, Austin Reed Adair, Tristan Tyler Adair, great-grandchildren Addison Claire Adair and Aiden Reed Adair and brothers Billy Doyle Adair, wife, Vonnie and James Robert Adair and wife, Vela along with numerous nieces and nephews.
No formal service will be held, but the family asks that those who knew him take time to remember him, each in their own way, as a loving husband, wonderful father and grandfather, loyal friend, kind and gentle soul and great man. Contributions to St. Thomas Episcopal Church are appreciated.
William Adair(1927 - 2017)
William B. "Ben" Adair
1927-2017
William B. Adair, known earlier as W.B. and later as Ben, was born on September 12, 1927, the second of four children, near Lamesa, Texas to Elvin Marshall Adair and Ruth Harrell Alldredge Adair and died peacefully on November 10, 2017.
Ben graduated from Lamesa High School in 1944 and then entered Texas A&M's Corps of Cadets in September in the Aggie Class of '48. After three semesters of engineering studies, Ben entered the U.S. Army in February of 1946. From October of 1946 through July 1947 he served in the U.S. Army's 5250th Technical Intelligence Corps in the occupation of Japan at the end of WWII as Chief Clerk, Central Intelligence Section in downtown Tokyo. Honorably discharged on July 4, 1947, Ben re-entered the Aggie Corps of Cadets in the Cavalry. As a Junior, he was selected to be a Ross Volunteer. Later, after serving in the Cavalry Battalion as Cadet Major as a senior, he received his Aggie Senior Ring and was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant of Armored Cavalry in June 1949 and was in the Army Reserves until 1953.
Marrying his college sweetheart, Barbara Eunice Reed, on September 9, 1950, they began a 4-month honeymoon while Ben finished college at the University of Texas in Austin, receiving a BS in Petroleum Engineering in February 1951. He then embarked on a successful 20-year career in petroleum engineering on the engineering and design side of the "oil patch" in a wide range of professional engineering, sales and management jobs with oil and gas manufacturing companies, working around the world.
At age 40, with 4 children, Ben entered South Texas School of Law, working full time as an engineer and also taking full course loads. Active in student activities, he was Vice Dean of Delta Theta Pi Legal fraternity, Supreme Court Chief Justice of the student body, and Associate Editor of the South Texas Law Journal. He graduated in 30 months, 5th in his class of 1971.
On invitation from a law school classmate, Ben and three others formed a law firm in early 1972 which became Byrnes, Meyers, Adair, Campbell & Sinex, adding associates and increasing to 25+ lawyer by 1982. In 1983, this firm amicably split up and the successor firm of Adair and Myers was formed. This firm is still active in Houston. Ben was a general practitioner and trial lawyer for a total 35 years. After 1995, he limited his practice to work on probate and wills, while he and Barbara accrued about 10,000 hours each as volunteers with MD Anderson's Children's Art Project over a period of 11 years. Ben and Barbara were named Volunteers of the Year at the Project.
Living in the Meyerland subdivision since 1956, Ben and Barbara were active with many civic activities. St. Thomas Episcopal Church was one of the first and most important to them, with service in the Fall Fair, Women's Board, Sunday School teaching, Lay Reader, and church vestry. Ben was also a Mason, Arabia Shriner and in the Scottish Rite for over 50 years. Both were active in many activities with their 4 children. Barbara served as Treasurer and Den Mother, and Ben served as Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Explore Advisor, Junior Achievement Advisor and Little League Coach, Manager and League Vice President. Ben and Barbara also served in Meyerland's Precinct 176 as Election Clerks, Precinct Chair and Election Judge for over 50 years. They also were active in alumni activities for both their own colleges and their children's. Ben and Barbara were true partners and still sweethearts after over 67 years of marriage. They would say "We represented that remark."
Ben was preceded in death by his son, William B. "Bill" Adair (earlier "Bud Adair"), his parents Elvin Marshall Adair and Ruth Harrell Alldredge Adair, his sister Dorothy Lee Adair Pounds and her husband Joe Pounds. He is survived by his college sweetheart, wife and love of his life, Barbara Eunice Reed Adair, three children, Marshall Reed Adair and wife, Gloria Dawn Adair, Edward Brian Adair and wife, Shareen Adair, Rebecca Maree Adair Beloney and husband, Charles "Chuck" Beloney, grandchildren Michael Reed Adair, Chelsea Maree Downey, Davis Mitchell Downey, Austin Reed Adair, Tristan Tyler Adair, great-grandchildren Addison Claire Adair and Aiden Reed Adair and brothers Billy Doyle Adair, wife, Vonnie and James Robert Adair and wife, Vela along with numerous nieces and nephews.
No formal service will be held, but the family asks that those who knew him take time to remember him, each in their own way, as a loving husband, wonderful father and grandfather, loyal friend, kind and gentle soul and great man. Contributions to St. Thomas Episcopal Church are appreciated.
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