Gerard Frederick Waller

Gerard Frederick Waller passed away peacefully on Thursday, the 22nd of October 2026, in Houston, Texas, at the age of 98. Born in Long Beach, California, on the 3rd of November 1927, he was the son of Jeanne and Dr. Frederick Waller.

Gerard grew up in West Los Angeles and graduated from University High School. During summers, he worked as a roustabout in his father’s oil refinery—early signs of a strong work ethic and the curiosity that would shape his extraordinary life. After enlisting in the U.S. Army, he served as a Sergeant in the occupation forces in Japan. He later earned a Bachelor of Science in Military Science from the University of Maryland and studied at USC’s School of International Relations.

Following a brief assignment at the Pentagon, Gerard was stationed in Augsburg and Munich, Germany, where he served in the 43rd Infantry Division’s G-2 Section and as Liaison Officer to the French Army’s occupation forces under Lieutenant General “Jumping Jim” Gavin. Recognizing Gerard’s potential, General Gavin selected him to attend a State Department-sponsored master’s program in International Relations at the University of Munich.

On the 15th of August 1951, Gerard married Georgia Helen Vann at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Brentwood, California. Their marriage, full of love and shared adventure, lasted 57 years until Georgia’s passing in 2008.

Gerard’s distinguished career in the global petroleum industry began in 1954 with UNOCAL, with early assignments in Costa Rica, Peru, and Panama. In 1956, he joined Gulf Oil in New York City, where he worked as a concessions analyst for projects in Argentina, Colombia, and Nigeria. Returning to Los Angeles in 1961, he joined Richfield Oil, working closely with Iran’s Ministry of Petroleum on export relations with Japan.

In 1964, he directed Signal Oil & Gas’s acquisition of the RBP refinery in Antwerp, Belgium. The next decade was spent with Hydril—three years in Los Angeles and seven in London, where he served as Eastern Hemisphere Manager. In 1975, he was recruited by France’s Vallourec Group to lead its newly established North American subsidiary in Houston. He later became CEO of ELF’s Horizontal Drilling and Production Company in 1985.

Even in retirement, Gerard continued to shape the global energy industry as a consultant to major organizations including OPEC’s Directorate in Vienna, Austria’s OMV, Shaikh Yamani’s Center for Global Energy Studies in London, Argentina’s YPF, MB Petroleum in Oman, LeTourneau Drilling Systems, Stewart & Stevenson, China’s CIMC Raffles, Holland’s Gusto MSC, and served as a Director of Friede & Goldman.

His professional affiliations included the UK’s Institute of Petroleum, the Houston Petroleum Club, the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators, and the Houston Committee on Foreign Relations.

Gerard is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Georgia Helen Waller, and his eldest son, Charles Gerard Waller. He is survived by his son, Vance F. Waller Sr. of Boerne, Texas, and his grandson, Vance F. Waller Jr. of Houston.

A memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Monday, the 16th of November, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston, where Father James Murphy, CSB is to officiate. Immediately following, all are invited to join the family during a reception in the grand foyer.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions in Gerard’s honor may be directed to the Houston SPCA, 7007 Old Katy Road, Houston, Texas 77024 or by visiting the link below under "Donations".

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