Robert Wright McDowell, Jr.

McDOWELL, Jr., Robert Wright was born Neil Carson on October 30, 1926 in Kansas City, Missouri. On January 29, 1927 he was adopted by Mary E. Cannon McDowell and Robert Wright McDowell, then living in Waterloo, Iowa. In early 1928 the family moved to Tulsa where his parents lived until their deaths in 1989 and 1982 respectively. Mr. McDowell, Jr. attended school at Lee Elementary, Horace Mann Jr. High, Central High, and was graduated in 1943 from Cascia Hall Preparatory School in Tulsa. He immediately enrolled in the University of Tulsa to study Aeronautical Engineering, obtained his Private Pilot License, and was active in Greek Letter Fraternity matters. In such he helped re-activate a local fraternity, Delta Sigma Zi (inactive because of the War), becoming its president until it became a chapter of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity in May,1944. He served in the initiation team at the installation of the chapter at Oklahoma A&M (Now OSU). On entering military service in 1945, he served in the Medical Department of the Air Forces of the Army of the United States. On return to civilian life, he re-enrolled in TU to study Geological Engineering, transferred to the University of Oklahoma where he graduated in 1950 with a Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering. At graduation he was employed by Continental Oil Company, working in Denver, Colorado, Casper, Wyoming, and Oklahoma City. He then worked with Anderson Prichard Oil Corporation in Wichita Falls, Texas until entering private consulting practice for the rest of his industry career. He moved to the Denver, Colorado area to practice in 1952 and practiced as a consultant, explorationist, and producer until 1986. During that time, he was married to the former Grace D. Schindler White McDowell, with whom he had three boys and one girl, and adopted her eldest daughter. These children are Dianne L. McDowell, Lt. Cdr. Robert W. McDowell, III, USNR, (Ret.), Thomas R. McDowell of Littleton, Colorado, Mary Faye M. Pekas of Aurora, Colorado, and Daniel M, McDowell of Kansas City, Missouri. He was a lifetime member of the Presbyterian Church, being baptized by Dr. Kerr in the First Presbyterian Church of Tulsa, where he attended Sunday School and ushered in the balcony. In Colorado he transferred his membership to Bear Creek Presbyterian (now Evangelical Presbyterian) Church, Lakewood, where he served as Trustee and as founder and first president of the Presbyterian Lay Committee, Denver Chapter. While a resident of Monkey Island, after returning to Oklahoma, he transferred his membership to Grace Presbyterian Church in Grove, and then to Kirk of the Hills in Tulsa. He was active in professional, fraternal, charitable, and social affairs. He was formerly a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, American Institute of Professional Geologists, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists, Colorado Engineering Council, National Aeronautical Association and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. He served two years as President of the Denver Alumni Association of Alpha Tau Omega after which he served as Province Alumni Director and Province Chief. During that time, he was instrumental in re-activating the Fraternity's chapter at the University of Denver and establishing a new chapter at the University of New Mexico. He was proud to attend the tenth anniversary celebration at UNM to see his son, Robert, Ill, installed as Worthy Master (President). He served the Boy Scouts of America for over 20 years as Pack Committee Chairman, Troop Committee Chairman, Cub master, Scoutmaster, and Merit Badge Counselor. He was the youngest charter member of the Falcon Quarterback Club (now Air Force Academy of Denver) after the Academy was established at Lowry Air Force Base. While, as he put it, a "displaced Okie" in Colorado he was a member of The Denver Athletic Club, The Denver Petroleum Club, and a Life member of Pinehurst Country Club, and a non-resident member of the Petroleum Club of Tulsa. He was active in the Civil Air Patrol, founding a Squadron in Colorado and another on his return to Oklahoma, serving as Commander of both. He flew search missions, being a mountain qualified Mission Command Pilot and retired as a Lt. Col. He was raised a Master Mason in Lakewood Lodge, Colorado, serving as its Worshipful Master in 1983. He was particularly honored, proud and pleased to preside at the initiation of his grandson, Daniel C. McDowell into Lakewood Lodge in May 2004, passing in November 2004, and raising in March 2005. He joined the Rocky Mountain Scottish Rite Bodies and El Jebel Shrine. In El Jebel he belonged to the Air Patrol, Past Masters, and Sandblasters. He transferred his Rite and Shrine memberships to Tulsa and Akdar, where he founded the Akdar Shrine Air Patrol and Past Masters Club, serving each as first President. He also served as Commander of the Central States Shrine Flying Fez (Aviation) Association. During his active days in the Akdar Shrine Air Patrol he sponsored several children to the Shrine Hospital in Shreveport and used his own airplane to fly them and a parent there for appointments, as well as other children to the St. Louis and Chicago hospitals. In 1990 he was a candidate for the Oklahoma House of Representatives in Tulsa County. In 1996 he was a candidate for the Oklahoma Senate, in 2000 he was honored to be a Presidential Elector for George W. Bush. He was elected Delaware County Republican Party Chairman 1999 and served four years before retiring in 2003. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Craig County Airport Trust Authority, operator of the South Grand Lake Airport at Ketchum, serving as Chairman in 2001 until 2004. He was preceded in death by his wife, Anne V. N. Solliday White McDowell and stepdaughter, Dee Anne White Ivers of Broken Arrow, and his former wife Grace D. Schindler White McDowell. He is survived by his children mentioned above, and two stepchildren: Robert M. White of Tulsa, and Jeanne Solliday White Byquist of Salina, Kansas. He is also survived by his grand-children Aleesha F. McDowell and her children Mariah Grace, Darren Konstantin, and Noah James, all of Lakewood, Colorado, Daniel C. McDowell, his wife Candice and their children Lillian Faye, Titus Scott and Judah Winston, all of Lakewood, CO, William Gray McDowell of Jacksonville, FL, and Lucas M. Pekas of Aurora, CO. Gifts may be made to the Akdar Shrine ROLL OF HONOR in his memory or in memory of Anne Solliday McDowell, the Building Fund of Kirk of the Hills, or the Tulsa Salvation Army. Funeral service will be 2:00 P.M., Friday, January 8, 2021 at Moore's Southlawn Chapel, 9350 East 51st Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Moore's Southlawn 918-663-2233 share memories at www.moorefuneal.com

Robert Wright McDowell, Jr.

October 30, 1926 - January 1, 2021