Eugene Kozlowski

Eugene C. (“Gene”) Kozlowski passed away peacefully in his sleep on February 13, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Born in Sioux City, Iowa on December 20, 1930, Gene moved with his family to Long Beach, California in his teenage years when his father found work as a painter for the U.S. Navy during WWII. Gene excelled at scholastics and was the Salutatorian of his graduating class at Long Beach Polytechnic High School.

Gene attended college at the University of California, Berkeley, majoring in Chemistry and Petroleum Engineering. While at Berkeley, Gene was drafted into the U.S. Army and served as a Second Lieutenant stationed in Korea. There, he inspected and protected oil pipelines from nighttime siphoning and helped construct numerous facilities including an officers’ barracks and a school and church for a local village.

Upon his honorable discharge from the Army, Gene returned to U.C. Berkeley where he completed his degree in Petroleum Engineering and met his future wife, Janet. He began his career with Socony Mobil Oil, rotating through their U.S. offices in preparation for an international assignment in Indonesia. The pending birth of their first child kept them stateside, however, so Gene and Janet settled in Southern California where they focused on raising a family. There, he continued his education earning a master’s degree at USC in Petroleum Engineering and an MBA from Pepperdine.

With the help of two partners and humble seed capital, Gene founded an oilfield chemicals company, Diversified Chemicals (“Di-Chem”). By 1979 they had built the company into an industry leader having distribution facilities in California, Louisiana, Texas and Wyoming and a foreign office in Caracas, Venezuela. That same year they sold the company to Dresser Industries (now part of Halliburton). With those proceeds, he and a partner purchased several oilfield service companies and an oilfield in California creating his next empire.

Gene’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to purchase a remote oilfield located near Ely, Nevada, from Texaco. Under the company name of Makoil Inc, Gene increased oil production from that field from 100 barrels of oil per day to 3,000 barrels of oil per day making him the largest producer of crude oil in the State of Nevada.

Always looking for an opportunity to create additional growth, Gene and his partner sold an oilfield liquids disposal site they owned in McKittrick, California to Sanifill. That company later merged with Waste Management, the largest waste processing company in America. Internationally, Gene obtained a concession to drill oil and gas wells and build refineries in the Republic of Georgia. It was his dream to become an international oil and gas producer.

Gene had a great enthusiasm for giving back to his beloved oil and gas community. In California, he served for many years as president of the California Independent Petroleum Association which represents the producers of 70% of California’s oil production against overreaching political agenda. Additionally, he was appointed and served as Oil and Gas Commissioner to Arizona and Nevada overseeing the impact of regulation on Federal Oil and Gas leases held by independent oil and gas producers in those states.

An enthusiastic traveler, Gene explored all continents and delighted in immersing himself in different cultures. He and Janet embarked on memorable adventures across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and South America, collecting stories and souvenirs along the way. Gene approached each journey with curiosity and excitement.

Despite his worldwide adventures, he maintained that some of his most treasured moments were family trips to their vacation homes in California and Las Vegas, where generations gathered to create lasting memories. Though his wanderlust took him to distant shores, his greatest devotion was always to his family.

His affection for California inspired the purchase of vacation homes in Lake Arrowhead and Catalina, while his fondness for gambling led to purchasing a home in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he and Janet relocated permanently in 1998. There, he enjoyed playing craps and poker, betting on college football games, watching all the latest movies and appreciating performances at the Smith Center for Performing Arts.

A true problem solver and go-getter, Gene embodied the spirit of Frank Sinatra’s I did it “My Way”. His motto, “in search of the good life”, lead him to many experiences and adventures along his well- lived and full life. As with most highly successful people, Gene always strived to achieve something better, not just financially but for the benefit of everyone he cared about. He was a great Boss who provided for the wellbeing of his employees and offered encouragement to his family members when in need of help. Gene lived life to the fullest and without comprise. His indomitable spirit will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

Gene is survived by his wife, Janet; three children: Cathy Kozlowski Heyne (Henri) of Darien, CT, Karen Kozlowski Smith (Jerry) of Auburn, AL, and Gregg Kozlowski (Tracy) of San Clemente, CA; twenty grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

This is a man to be celebrated, and he will never be forgotten.

A visitation for Eugene will be held Friday, February 28, 2025 from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM at Christ The King Catholic Church, 4925 S Torrey Pines Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89118, followed by a funeral mass at 11:00 AM.