Walter Cecil Roome

Walter Cecil Roome was born on March 28, 1916, the firstborn son of Walter L. Roome and Ella Appling Roome of Louise, Texas. Cecil spent his formative years in Louise attending school, helping his parents and his three younger sisters, Evelyn “Biddy”, Dorothy and Ruthella. Some of his fondest memories were of his maternal grandparents, William Franklin Appling and Idella Berry Appling. He graduated from El Campo High School in 1933 and began working for the Pure Oil Company in the Louise oil field for 39 cents an hour. He worked as a laborer, truck driver, rotary helper and pumper from 1933 to 1935. During an oil field blowout in the Louise Field, he helped to save the life of a production foreman, Mr. Fred Dallas. The following year Mr. Dallas recommended he enter college and with the assistance of the Pure Oil Company management in Houston, he entered the Rice University Civil Engineering curriculum. During his years at Rice, he worked part time in the Louise Field to help pay for his education. After graduating from Rice in 1939, he returned to Pure full time and was assigned to the Pure Oil Camp in Sweet Lake, Louisiana as a Mechanical Engineer working under Mr. P. G. Williams.

While working in Sweet Lake he met a school teacher from Oak Grove in Cameron Parish, Sybil Rutherford, the youngest daughter of Benjamin Franklin “B. F.” Rutherford and Adelia Broussard Rutherford. They were married on June 2, 1941 in Lake Charles, Louisiana. They continued to live in Sweet Lake, Morgan City and Oak Grove, Louisiana as Cecil worked on onshore and offshore drilling and production operations and advanced to the positions of Gang Foreman, Production Foreman and Assistant District Superintendent. He was also a Scout Master and member of Cameron Masonic Lodge. Their first son, Dean Arthur Roome was born in February, 1945. Walter Frank Roome was born in March, 1950 while they lived in the Sweet Lake Camp. In 1950, they moved from Sweet Lake to Oak Grove. A darling daughter, Eleanor Ann Roome, was born in February, 1954.

While at Cameron, he was promoted to District Superintendent and in 1954 was transferred to Houston, Texas and promoted to Division Superintendent for Production for the Gulf Coast Division of the Pure Oil Company.

In June of 1957, Sybil, Dean, Walter Frank and Ann drove back to Oak Grove to attend Vacation Bible School at the Oak Grove Baptist Church and visit with Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford and other relatives. On June 27, 1957, Hurricane Audrey struck Cameron Parish as a Category IV hurricane. Sybil, Eleanor Ann, Mr. and Mrs. Rutherford and Sybil’s oldest sister, Rosa Rutherford Shultz perished in the storm. Dean, Walter Frank and several other relatives were able to survive.

In the summer of 1958, Cecil was introduced to Robbie Nell Via of Bartlett, Texas who was working as an executive secretary for Tennessee Gas Transmission Company in Houston. They dated for a brief time and were married on December 20, 1958. Robbie was a wonderful wife and companion for Cecil and a loving mother to Dean and Walter Frank. They continued to live in Houston until 1961 when Cecil was transferred to Lafayette, Louisiana as the Offshore Production Superintendent. Cecil retired from Pure in August, 1963. Shortly thereafter they returned to Houston and Cecil began new business ventures in oil and real estate. In 1965, he formed a small independent oil company with his sons, Dean and Walter Frank. They struggled for a time but eventually found good oil production back in the Louise Field in 1983. Cecil continued to manage the production operations for this company until 2015, continuing his long association with the Louise Field from 1933 to 2015, a total of 82 years. A battered sign on the lease gate to his production facility simply states: Roome Oil Company – Louise Field Operations – Eighty Years of Pure Oil Men.

Cecil and Robbie lived in Houston from 1963 to 1978. Cecil spent many days in Louise caring for his mother. They traveled to Bartlett frequently to care for Robbie’s parents, Mr. W. T. Via and Mrs. Elizabeth Cannon Via. Cecil and Robbie were members of the Bellaire Methodist Church. Cecil had a wonderful baritone voice and sang in the choir at Bellaire Methodist. He had many friends in the Jewish community and also sang in the choir at Congregation Beth Yeshurun. He continued a long friendship with Rabbi Jack Segal and they exchanged many letters over the years. Cecil Roome was a devout Christian and practiced his religion on a daily basis. In 1978, Cecil and Robbie returned to Bartlett and purchased the Via family home from her brothers and sisters. They transferred their membership to the Bartlett First United Methodist Church where Cecil and Robbie both taught the men’s and women’s Sunday School Classes. Cecil was also a choir member, a Lay Speaker and managed the church’s investments for a time.

Cecil and Robbie raised cattle and cared for their many pets at the home place in Bartlett. They raised two deep tilled vegetable gardens, harvested pecans from their numerous trees, canned pears and peaches, put up corn with family members, fed many species of songbirds and continued their deep and devoted fifty-seven year loving relationship which endures eternally.

Walter Cecil Roome passed away on February 26, 2015. He was 98 years old and approaching his 99th birthday on March 28. He is survived by his wife, Robbie; his son, Dean; his sister, Ruthella and numerous members of the Roome, Via, Rutherford and Appling families.

His service will be held at the Bartlett First United Methodist Church, 645 W. Clark Street, Bartlett, Texas 76511 at 11:00 am on Saturday, March 7, 2015. Rev. Lianne Turner and Rev. Rich Cromwell will hold the Service. Pallbearers for his service will be Dr. John D. Myers, Texas Ranger Matthew Lindemann, Johnny W. Rutherford, Albert B. Clements, Scott Freeman, Michael Woytek, Greg Yackel and Gary Yackel. Honorary Pallbearers are Norman McCall, Dr. Clarence B. Hackett, Daniel K. Lewis, Benjamin A. Garber, Harold Welch, Wayland Welch, Alton R. “Sonny” Roome and Henry Olsovsky, Jr. The Goodnight Funeral Home will provide the funeral services. Additional information can be found at www.goodnightfuneral.com.

Luncheon will be served for guests and family members at the Bartlett First United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall following the service.

If you would like to make a donation in lieu of flowers, the family requests you consider the First United Methodist Church Bartlett, PO Box 44 / 645 West Clark St., Bartlett, TX 76511; Food for Friends, 132000 FM 972, Granger, Tx 76530; Salvation Army; or the charity of your choice.

If you choose to send flowers, the local florist in Bartlett is Unique Celebrations, 129 N Evie St, Bartlett, TX 76511, (254) 527-3324