John Arthur Lauderdale, Jr.

John Arthur Lauderdale, Jr., 80, of Lubbock, Texas and former long-time resident of Houston, Texas, died on May 15, 2013.  He was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on September 12, 1932.   John’s grandparents homesteaded during the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1888 on land that he still owned.

John was raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma and played baseball for Will Rogers High School.  His baseball team went to State his junior year in high school.  John was awarded both an academic scholarship in Petroleum Engineering and a full baseball scholarship to the University of Tulsa, where he also lettered three years on the varsity baseball team.  He was a member of Pi Epsilon Tau, Pi Kappa Alpha and the TU Letterman’s Club, and graduated in 1955 as an Engineer of Distinction with a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering. 

John met Helen McBride at church.  They married on December 20, 1953.  He returned to the University of Tulsa and received his Master of Science in Reservoir Engineering in 1960, where he received an Amoco Fellowship and was awarded the Silver Beaker Award by his fellow graduate students.

John turned down the opportunity to play professional baseball with the Baltimore Orioles, believing that engineering provided a more stable family life.  He went to work with Carter Oil Company, a division of Standard Oil of New Jersey.  His career progressed from engineering to testifying before the Corporation Commission in Kansas. He became a registered Professional Engineer in the state of Kansas and participated in many engineering societies, as well as being appointed by the U.S. President’s Office to the office of Emergency Preparedness for the State of Kansas. He then began buying and selling natural gas for the pipeline distribution systems with Texas Oil and Gas.  He served as President of Link Systems, a subsidiary of Jackson Exploration, Inc., which he helped take public in London, England.  With his tenure with Houston Pipeline, John helped complete the pipeline distribution chain to link the west coast with the east coast.  He retired from Enron in 1994 and then served as an oil and gas consultant until 2000.

In addition to having a successful career, John contributed in numerous ways to the community, civic and church life of the cities in which he lived. He coached youth baseball for more than 12 years, coached girls’ basketball and softball teams, and traveled on many Girl Scout camping trips.  While in the Fort Worth area, John was elected to the city council of Benbrook where he served as Mayor Pro-Tem; he also served on many planning and zoning commissions in numerous communities. John was instrumental in the building of many community swimming pools in Midland and Richardson.  He served as a board member for a daycare in the Houston area, and enjoyed serving his church in many different capacities, from Board Treasurer to Sunday School Class Teacher and Officer. After his retirement, John continued to enrich the lives of others teaching ESL classes to Asian immigrants.

Most recently, John was an active member of First Christian Church of Lubbock, where he celebrated being a Diamond Disciple, and was a member of the 60 Minute Sunday School Class, the “Illiterates” – a group of men who preferred to socialize over dinner while their wives were at book club. 

John and the family are grateful for the loving care provided by Vanessa Marroquin, Luz Madrid, Andrew Kochis and other staff from Visiting Angels and Hospice of Lubbock.

John was a lifelong supporter of the Tulsa University’s Golden Hurricane.  He also followed local sports wherever he lived, cheering on the Midland Lee Rebels, City of Richardson Swim Team, Rice University Owls, Houston Rockets and Comets, and the Texas Tech teams.

Preceding him in death was his brother, Nathan.  John is survived by Helen, his wife of 59 years; daughters Leslie Lauderdale, Oak Park, Illinois and Lindy Lauderdale, Lubbock; son John Lauderdale, III (Jay) and wife Jackie Lauderdale, Fort Worth, Texas; grandchildren John Lauderdale IV (Johnny) of Claremore, Oklahoma; Jamie Lauderdale of Denver, Colorado and Landon Lauderdale of Lubbock; sister-in-law Barbara Lauderdale of Kansas City, Missouri; numerous nieces and nephews; and close friends.

Services are scheduled at First Christian Church in Lubbock at 11:00 am on Monday, May 20, 2013. John will be interred at Memorial Park Cemetery in Tulsa, Oklahoma at 3:00 pm on Tuesday, May 21, 2013.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to any of the following in memory of John A. Lauderdale, Jr.: First Christian Church, Share the Vision Fund,2323 Broadway, Lubbock, TX  79401; Will Rogers High School Community Foundation c/o James L. “Larry” Beaubien, CPA, Treasurer, 6363 E. 31^st Street, Tulsa, OK  74135; University of Tulsa, McFarlin Library Fund, 800 S. Tucker Drive Tulsa, OK  74104.

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