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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The city of College Station lost a greatly admired |
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citizen with the passing of oilman and philanthropist Emil Eugene |
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Ogden on July 25, 2017, at the age of 89; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Blackwell, Oklahoma, on September 15, 1927, |
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Emil Ogden was the only son of Homer and Mary Ogden; his childhood |
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was marked by hardship, and those early experiences played a part in |
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shaping the character and resolve that would contribute to his |
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success in later life; he served his country in World War II, and he |
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went on to play minor league baseball for the Odessa Oilers before |
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setting out to make a living for himself in the oil fields; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Ogden was an independent oilman in Abilene for |
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28 years; beginning his career as a wildcatter, he supplemented his |
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income by coaching junior high basketball and playing the trumpet |
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in a big band orchestra to make ends meet; his determination |
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sustained him through the "boom and bust" cycle, and after moving to |
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Bryan-College Station in 1979, he was instrumental in developing |
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the Bryan Woodbine Field, one of the most significant oil |
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discoveries in Texas in the 1980s; along the way, he won the |
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loyalty, respect, and affection of numerous associates and |
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employees, some of whom became his lifelong friends; and |
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WHEREAS, Despite his fortune, Mr. Ogden never lost sight of |
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his humble roots, and he gave generously to a variety of |
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organizations benefiting citizens in need; he also actively |
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volunteered his time in leadership positions, which included |
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serving as a reserve criminal investigations deputy with the Brazos |
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County Sheriff's Office, as president of the West Texas Oil & Gas |
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Association, as an Abilene City Council member, and in numerous |
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other board and committee positions; his Catholic faith was a |
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central pillar of his life, and he dedicated a great deal of his |
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time and resources to the St. Thomas Aquinas Parish; and |
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WHEREAS, A man who exemplified the values of hard work and |
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perseverance, Emil Ogden leaves behind a record of service that |
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will long resonate in the community and that his loved ones can |
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remember with pride; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of |
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Emil Eugene Ogden and extend deepest condolences to the members of |
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his family: to his wife of nearly seven decades, Clementine Ogden; |
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to his children, Stephen Ogden and his wife, Beverly, Mary |
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Katherine Buttry and her husband, Jimmy, Paul Ogden and his wife, |
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Beth, Michael Ogden and his wife, Sarah, Joseph Ogden and his wife, |
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Karen, and Laura Young and her husband, Warren; to his 23 |
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grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; and to his other |
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relatives and friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Emil Ogden. |