Robert Fair

Robert “Bob” A. Fair, 83, of Oklahoma City went to be with the Lord on September 28, 2010 surrounded by his loving family and cradled in the comfort of his faith. He was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather who enjoyed spending time with his family. Bob was born on July 7, 1927 to Arthur and Alida Fair in Miami, FL and grew up in Winona, MN. He was a devout Catholic and long-time member of the Church of the Epiphany of the Lord Catholic Church. He raised five children with his loving wife, Muriel, of 58 years and at times opened his home to help raise their nieces. As an oil executive who moved often they raised their family in the oil rich states of Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and primarily Oklahoma. Bob had a great love of the outdoors and enjoyed hunting and fishing. He raised his children and grandchildren to respect and enjoy these activities and was supportive of their love of these outdoor sports until his last days.

Bob served in the US Navy from 1945 to 1946 before moving to Oklahoma to attend the University of Oklahoma. He received his bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering in 1951 and was a member of the OU Pi Epsilon Tau Honorary Petroleum Engineering Fraternity. He began his career at Ashland Oil & Refining Co. as a petroleum engineer. He joined Mobil Oil Corporation in 1954 where he worked for 30 years. He specialized in oil and gas fields having high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide gas and in 1967 was a co-inventor of a US Patient for Hydrate Prevention in Gas Production. After nearly 15 years in Wyoming as an engineer and production manager he and his wife moved their family to Oklahoma City in 1969. In 1975 he was named engineering supervisor for all of Mobil’s Oklahoma field operations. He retired from Mobil Oil in 1984 and joined the Oklahoma Corporation Commission’s Oil and Gas Conservation Division in 1986 as an engineer in the Oil and Gas Technical Department. He served as the acting director or that Division for five months before retiring in July 1992. He and Muriel enjoyed many of his retirement years traveling and enjoying their cabin on Lake Texoma where he spent countless hours fishing with his children and grandchildren.

Bob was an Eagle Scout and later served as a Scout Master and then a unit leader for the Boy Scouts of America. He was a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and served as Chairman of the Wyoming Section in 1967. He also served as Oklahoma’s representative on the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission’s Enhanced Recovery Committee and was reappointed to that Committee by both Gov. Henry Bellmon and Gov. Frank Keating.

He is survived by his wife, Muriel, and five children and their spouses, Bill and Jeni Fair of Bethany; Tom and Jan Fair; Becky and Stewart Eagle; Mike and Sherry Fair, and Rick and Diane Fair, all of Oklahoma City and 12 grandchildren that include Ryan Fair, Lauren Fair, Rebeka Kragenbrink, Jamie Marriott, Michael Thies, Scott Eagle, Chris Eagle, Stephanie Eagle, Maggie Fair, Amy Fair, Melissa Fair and Ashley Fair as well as eight great-grandchildren with one on the way. He is also survived by his younger siblings, Don and Pat Fair of Lake Forest, CA; Carol and Bob Blom of Reno, NV and Betsy and Dale Alcott of Rochester, MN and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents and sister and brother-in-law, Deloris and Jack Lien.

A viewing will be held at Baggerley Funeral Home in Edmond on Fri., Oct. 1 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a Rosary at Church of the Epiphany, 7336 W. Britton Rd., OKC at 7 p.m. Funeral services will be at Church of the Epiphany on Sat., Oct. 2 at 11 a.m. with interment at Resurrection Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Bob’s name to Boy Scouts of America, 3031 NW 64th, OKC, OK 73116.