Mr. Sam Frank Willson Jr.

Sam F. Willson Jr. passed away peacefully on April 1st at Houston’s Methodist Hospital from complications due to heart disease. He was 80. Upon news of his death, condolences have been received from around the world.

Sam Willson was born to his beloved father and mother, Sam F. Willson Sr. and Camille Speer Willson on the 10th of December 1929, in Mt. Pleasant, Texas. He attended Mt. Pleasant High School and in 1947 enrolled in the University of Texas at Austin. During his time there, he was elected to the UT student council, served as the President of the Silver Spurs honor society and joined the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity.

While attending college he met the love of his life, Betty Davis. Sam and Betty were married on the 1st of June 1950. They made their home in Houston, Texas for over 50 years with brief interludes in San Juan, Puerto Rico and London, England. Sam enjoyed family time at Lake McQueeny and later at their beach house in Galveston where he enjoyed boating, skiing, playing card and other “fun” activities.

They were blessed by many special friends with whom they shared years of wonderful adventures and happy memories. Sam passed on wit and wisdom to those who loved him. He often said he was "the luckiest man alive", coming from a small town in East Texas to live a successful, long and happy life.

Sam began his career in the oil business soon after graduating college and worked there for more than four decades. He was well-known within the industry as an oil trader and senior executive and worked for various companies including Tenneco Oil Company, Commonwealth Oil Company and, most notably, The Coastal Corporation from 1972 until his retirement in 1996. His work in the oil industry took him all over the world. Sam entertained all with his quick wit, sense of humor, memorable “one-liners” and endless stories from a life well led. Many of his anecdotes were told around a dinner table, one such story he told was of the time his company was allowed to be the first private jet to land in Beijing, China in 1973 which led to a petroleum contract with that country.

Sam was a member of the Westminster United Methodist Church, The American Petroleum Institute's Twenty-Five Year Club, the Houston Petroleum Club, a Trustee of the Carl McCain Memorial Fund, a Life Member of the University of Texas Ex's Student Association, a 100 Club Life Member, and a member of the Houston Racquet Club, the Houstonian Club and the Galveston Country Club.

Sam is preceded in death by his mother and father, and leaves behind his loving wife of nearly 60 years, Betty; his two sons Sam F. Willson, III and Scott Davis Willson and his wife Brenda; his six grandchildren (by whom he was fondly referred to as “Big Sam”), Sam F. Willson, IV and his wife, Ashley, Julie Taylor Willson, Robert Wagner Willson, Scott Davis Willson, Jr., Lauren Ellen Willson and Kristen Camille Willson; and his two great grandchildren, Emma Taylor Willson and Bethany Kate Willson. He is also survived by his brother, Dan H. Willson and his wife, Suzanne and his sister, Phyllis Wolters; his brother-in-law Robert Taylor (Sonny) Davis and his wife, Linda; he is also survived by four nieces. His trusty canine companion, a boxer named Austin, is also left behind.

The family would like to thank Dr. Mohammed Attar and his staff and the employees of the Methodist Hospital for the fine care he received over the last several years.

Friends are cordially invited to gather with the family and share remembrances of Sam during a reception to be held from five o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening on Wednesday, the 7th of April, in the Library and Grand Foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

At Sam’s request, the family will gather for a private memorial service celebrating his life at a later date.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in Sam’s name be directed to The Brookwood Community, 1752 FM 1489, Brookshire, TX, 77423, or to the charity of one's choice.

To a few he was their employer, to some he was their mentor, but for most he was just their friend.