Robert Clayton Ayers Jr.

Robert Clayton Ayers Jr., born July 26, 1934, in Tyler, Texas, passed away surrounded by family who loved him deeply. He was the son of Robert Clayton Ayers and Florence Ivy Ayers. Bob grew up in Fort Worth, Texas. After the passing of his father in 1947, he and his mother remained in Fort Worth, where she taught in the public school system and instilled in him the value of education and hard work.

In 1956, Bob married Sarah Jane Huddleston, and together they welcomed two sons: Robert Clayton Ayers III (Clay) in 1960 and George Scott Ayers (Scott) in 1961, both born in Austin while Bob and Sarah Jane were attending the University of Texas.

Bob was preceded in death by his father, Robert Clayton Ayers; his mother, Florence Ivy Ayers; his father in law George Huddleston; his mother in law Virginia Huddleston; and Mabel Grace King, his mother in law from his second marriage.

He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Diana G. Ayers; his children Clay Ayers (and Maureen), Scott Ayers (and Mary), and Bryse Doherty; and his grandchildren Katie Ann Ayers, Christopher Robert Ayers, and Bryson Doherty.

Bob graduated from Arlington Heights High School in Fort Worth and attended Arlington State College for two years before enrolling at the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned both a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry.

While completing his doctoral work, Bob joined the Humble Production Research Company, now part of ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company. After finishing his dissertation, the family moved to Houston, where Bob began a distinguished 30 year career with Exxon (1962–1992). Twenty eight of those years were spent at the Upstream Research Center in Houston, with additional work for Exxon Chemical Company from 1974–1976.

Bob’s research spanned tertiary oil recovery, specialty chemicals, and—his greatest passion—environmental conservation, where he focused on the fate and effects of drilling and production discharges in the marine environment. His work resulted in numerous patents and publications. He provided expert testimony before U.S. Congressional committees and federal and state regulatory agencies, and served on several influential scientific and regulatory panels, including:

• The Scientific Committee of the U.S. Minerals Management Service Outer Continental Shelf Advisory Board

• The National Research Council’s Marine Board Panel on Fate and Effects of Drilling Discharges

• Multiple industry environmental and regulatory committees

After retiring from Exxon in 1992, Bob founded Robert Ayers and Associates, Inc., serving as an environmental consultant for another 22 years. His work took him around the world—from the Arctic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico to Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Paris, London, Amsterdam, New York, and many more.

He received numerous recognitions, including awards from the Gulf of Mexico Offshore Operators Committee, the American Petroleum Institute, the London-based E&P Forum, and the Society of Petroleum Engineers’ Environment, Health and Safety Award in 1995. In 2018, he was inducted into the American Association of Drilling Engineers Fluids Hall of Fame.

Bob cherished his family above all. He coached pee wee football when his sons were young and attended as many of their basketball and baseball games as he could. The family enjoyed memorable road trip vacations together.

Bob met the love of his life, Diana Banta, in Seattle during an EPA Region 10 meeting regarding environmental permits for Arctic drilling. Diana, then the Section Chief of Permit Enforcement, later transferred out of oil and gas enforcement, and she and Bob began dating in 1983. They married in Seattle in May 1985.

Following their marriage, Diana, her daughter Bryse, and her mother Grace King moved to Houston. Diana continued her distinguished career with the EPA as Director of the Region 6 Laboratory before retiring in 1993 to become a successful real estate broker. Bob and Diana remained devoted partners throughout their marriage, sharing a love for travel—especially their trips to London.

Bob treasured holidays and family gatherings with parents, children, grandchildren, and extended family.

Bob was a lifelong fan of University of Texas athletics and supported Houston’s professional sports teams. He especially loved attending Houston Texans games with his children and grandchildren.

He was a loyal supporter of the University of Texas, serving on the UT Austin Engineering Advisory Board for several years. With matching funds from ExxonMobil, Bob and Diana established multiple endowments at UT, including:

• Excellence Endowments in Engineering and Chemical Engineering

• A President’s Associates Endowment

• An Endowed Presidential Scholarship in the School of Business

Bob’s life was marked by intellectual curiosity, professional excellence, deep love for family, and unwavering integrity. He will be remembered for his pioneering scientific work, his generosity, his devotion to the people he loved, and the lasting impact he made on both industry and education.