Roll Call Tribute
Ben Fitzgerald '59 July 23, 2021 11:27 AM updated: July 23, 2021 11:42 AM
Ben Maurice Fitzgerald
Friday, February 21, 1930 - Monday, July 5th, 2021
Ben was born February 21,1930 in Ft Worth, Texas, to Roy Charles Fitzgerald and Myrtle Pennington-Fitzgerald. He graduated from Polytechnic High School in 1948. He was a Purple Heart veteran of the Korean War and received the Combat Infantryman’s Badge. He served in the 27th Infantry Regiment and was a lifetime member of the 27th wolfhound’s historical society.
After returning from the war, he met the love of his life, Boots, while fishing on Possum Kingdom Lake in northwest Texas. They joined together for a 51-year marriage with Ben describing her as not only his wife, but also his business partner, his best friend, and his co-pilot on their frequent trips in their Beech Baron airplane. He graduated from Texas A & M in 1959 with a degree in Petroleum Engineering. He was active in the Society of Petroleum Engineers and served as the chairman of the local San Joaquin Chapter in 1969. He was a registered engineer in Texas and California. He was a pioneer in thermal oil recovery and authored several patents on thermal recovery processes. One of his patents was used successfully for many years to recover oil from an oil reservoir located in Kern County.
After graduation from college, he worked for Gulf Oil and Tenneco Oil, working in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, California, and Texas. He formed an independent oil company, Chaparral Petroleum, in 1974, and relocated to Bakersfield. As an independent oil operator, he was active in drilling numerous wells in California and Texas. In 1986 he ventured into retail by opening three video rental stores, Video Network. He purchased a Century 21 real estate franchise in 1992 and became a licensed broker and licensed real estate appraiser. He retired from the oil business in 1997 with the sale of Chaparral Petroleum. Boots succumbed to cancer in 2006.
He was a long-time member of Saint Paul's Episcopal Church and was a member of the congregation that separated from the church in 2013 over differences in changes to historical theology. He was a charter member of Trinity Anglican Church. He is survived by daughter Tracey Ray, Son-in-law Kevin Ray, Grandson Casey Ray, Great grandson Ethan Ray, daughter Karen Renois, Granddaughter Amy Thrasher and husband Herb, Grandson Matt Renois and wife Krystal, Son Patrick Fitzgerald, and daughter in law Trisha.
Services will be held at Greenlawn River Blvd. on Wednesday July 14, 2021, at 11:00am
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to your favorite charities.
©Greenlawn Funeral Home
Friday, February 21, 1930 - Monday, July 5th, 2021
Ben was born February 21,1930 in Ft Worth, Texas, to Roy Charles Fitzgerald and Myrtle Pennington-Fitzgerald. He graduated from Polytechnic High School in 1948. He was a Purple Heart veteran of the Korean War and received the Combat Infantryman’s Badge. He served in the 27th Infantry Regiment and was a lifetime member of the 27th wolfhound’s historical society.
After returning from the war, he met the love of his life, Boots, while fishing on Possum Kingdom Lake in northwest Texas. They joined together for a 51-year marriage with Ben describing her as not only his wife, but also his business partner, his best friend, and his co-pilot on their frequent trips in their Beech Baron airplane. He graduated from Texas A & M in 1959 with a degree in Petroleum Engineering. He was active in the Society of Petroleum Engineers and served as the chairman of the local San Joaquin Chapter in 1969. He was a registered engineer in Texas and California. He was a pioneer in thermal oil recovery and authored several patents on thermal recovery processes. One of his patents was used successfully for many years to recover oil from an oil reservoir located in Kern County.
After graduation from college, he worked for Gulf Oil and Tenneco Oil, working in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, California, and Texas. He formed an independent oil company, Chaparral Petroleum, in 1974, and relocated to Bakersfield. As an independent oil operator, he was active in drilling numerous wells in California and Texas. In 1986 he ventured into retail by opening three video rental stores, Video Network. He purchased a Century 21 real estate franchise in 1992 and became a licensed broker and licensed real estate appraiser. He retired from the oil business in 1997 with the sale of Chaparral Petroleum. Boots succumbed to cancer in 2006.
He was a long-time member of Saint Paul's Episcopal Church and was a member of the congregation that separated from the church in 2013 over differences in changes to historical theology. He was a charter member of Trinity Anglican Church. He is survived by daughter Tracey Ray, Son-in-law Kevin Ray, Grandson Casey Ray, Great grandson Ethan Ray, daughter Karen Renois, Granddaughter Amy Thrasher and husband Herb, Grandson Matt Renois and wife Krystal, Son Patrick Fitzgerald, and daughter in law Trisha.
Services will be held at Greenlawn River Blvd. on Wednesday July 14, 2021, at 11:00am
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to your favorite charities.
©Greenlawn Funeral Home
505 George Bush Drive
College Station, TX 77840
(979) 845-7514
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