Hubert Hugh S. Barger

Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose”. Hubert S. Barger was born in Essex, Missouri November 10th, 1913 to Albert and Daisy (Nee Ireland) Barger. He attended school in Bloomfield, Missouri and in 1939 graduated from the Missouri School of Mines, University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering. He worked for the Army Corp of Engineers for one year and then joined Adams Oil and Gas in Centralia, Illinois where he was the District Engineer. In 1944 he went to work for Felmont Corporation and was in charge of the engineering operations for Illinois, Kansas, Texas and Kentucky. He became a specialist in waterflooding (secondary recovery of oil through injection of water) and was particularly proud of the work he did in the Patoka Field in Southern Illinois. This project became an example of waterflooding used in textbooks. Felmont Corporation merged with Sohio Oil Company in 1947 where Hugh became Sohio’s Chief waterflooding engineer. In 1950, he established Barger Engineering, as a Petroleum Engineering Consulting firm and Independent oil producing company in Evansville, Indiana. A year later he formed Lobar Oil Company in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, a company that specialized in the development of oil and gas properties. Later, he also became Vice-President of Har-Ken Oil Company and Crescent Drilling, both of Owensboro, Kentucky. Oil assignments have taken him to Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Guatemala. He was a member of and took a leadership role in; Tri-State Independent Oil Producers Assoc.; Indiana Oil and Gas Assoc.; Illinois Oil and Gas Assoc.; Kentucky Oil and Gas Assoc.; Society of Petroleum Engineers and the Independent Petroleum Assoc., USA. He was awarded the Alumni Achievement Award for Successful Entrepreneurship & Service to the University from the University of Missouri-Rolla in 1986. In 1997 he received a Lifetime Achievement award from the Illinois Oil & Gas Association and was inducted into the Indiana Oil & Gas Association Hall of Fame in 2007. He loved his work and the people with whom he worked. After 70 years in the oil business he still worked full time as President of Barger Engineering, Inc. Mr. Barger was a great philanthropist and humanitarian and through the years served his community in many organizations. He was a past Director of the Evansville Chamber of Commerce. He served as President and Chairman of the Board of Welborn Baptist Hospital and Director of the Welborn Hospital Foundation. He served as director of the Evansville YMCA, The Family and Childrens Service, Tri-State Youth For Christ, Boy Scouts of America and the Evansville Rescue Mission. Higher education was very important to Mr. Barger and he was a Trustee for Oakland City College and a Member Associate of Georgetown College in Kentucky. He cared deeply about his community and served on the Vanderburgh Judicial Nominating Committee and the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Study Commission. He attended Calvary Baptist Church where he was a Deacon, a Trustee, a Sunday School Teacher and Church moderator. In 1967 he was honored by the Missouri School of Mines with a Masters Degree as a Professional Geological Engineer and Oakland City College bestowed upon him an Honorary Doctor’s Degree in 1982. He was preceded in death by his wife of 68 years, Amalie L. Barger, his parents, brothers Luther and Cecil Barger and his sister Sylvia Aslin. He is survived by his daughters; Joyce B. Poling (John) of Bloomington, Indiana, Carol B. Cole (Mike), of Edmund, Oklahoma, and Gloria J. Barger (Kris Crossley) of Indianapolis. Four Granddaughters; Michele Ritchey (Grant), Marcy Reeb (Rob), Elizabeth Hanigan (Don), and Alexandra Croger (Troy). Six Great-Grandchildren; Julie and Macy Ritchey, Mackenzie and Caroline Reeb and Tierney and Will Hanigan and his sister Velma Null of Springfield, Missouri. Hugh was a man of strong character and determination. He was a loving husband, terrific father and a fantastic “Daddy Hugh” to his grandchildren. He loved the Lord and will be remembered as a “Good and Faithful Servant”. Services will be 10:00 AM Saturday, August 14, 2010, at Center of Hope Church, 808 SE Third Street, officiated by Pastor Don Moore, with graveside services at 4:00 PM at Dexter Cemetery in Dexter, MO. Friends may visit Friday from 2:00 to 8:00 PM at Alexander East Chapel, 2115 Lincoln Avenue. Memorial contributions may be made to Evansville Rescue Mission or Missouri School of Mines Scholarship Fund in Rolla, MO.