Joe D. Clegg

Joe Dunn Clegg died peacefully of natural causes on May 8, 2023, surrounded by his children. Joe was a devoted husband and father, a distinguished engineer, a World War II veteran, a Texan, and a lifelong Methodist.

Joe was born in Houston on October 18, 1927. His parents were Millard F. Clegg, Sr., and Zubie Dunn Clegg, both Mississippians who had moved to Texas. Joe grew up in small towns in southeastern Texas where his father worked in the oil industry.

While living in Pierce, he became an Eagle Scout at age 14. In the early months of World War II, he was badly burned when the enemy-aircraft watchtower he was manning as a boy scout burst into flames and he had to dive headfirst through a screen window in it; he fully recovered. He began high school in El Campo and graduated in Alice, immediately then joining the army in 1945 at age 17. He served in the U.S. Army, 1st Infantry Division, in occupied Germany during 1946.

After his honorable discharge from the army, Joe entered Rice Institute and received his B.A. and B.S. engineering degrees in 1952. More importantly, he met Margaret Elisabeth Blau at a freshman dance there, and married her on September 6, 1953, at Riverside Methodist Church in Houston.

After graduation, Joe began a 39-year career with Shell Oil Company. He was employed as a petroleum production operations engineer and had various assignments in numerous locations: Odessa, Midland, and Houston, Texas, as well as Lovington, New Mexico; Billings, Montana; Denver, Colorado; and New Orleans, Louisiana. He became proficient in completion of oil and gas wells and the various methods of artificial lift. Joe was active in the American Petroleum Institute and the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), which declared him a “Legend in Artificial Lift.” He spent considerable time improving the safety of oilfield operations.

After retiring from Shell, he taught an industry course in production operations at locations all over the world. He edited a book for the SPE on “Production Operations Engineering” that was first published in 2006, and wrote and marketed several computer programs to solve routine production operations problems. At age 85 he taught a course in petroleum production operations engineering at the University of Houston for two years.

He was preceded in death by Margaret, his beloved wife of almost 69 years, just eight months ago; by his older brother, Millard F. Clegg, Jr.; and by a great-granddaughter, Abigail Grace Clegg. Joe had a wonderful sense of humor; loved traveling with Margaret, reading, and sports; and taught his children to work hard and love God.

He is survived by his three children, Roger Clegg (married to Joann) of Yorktown, Virginia, Dr. Nancy Clegg of Rockwall, Texas, and Grace (married to William Berger) of Seabrook, Texas; his five grandsons, Paul Clegg (married to Cindy), Steve Attridge (married to Nicole), Michael Berger, Brian Berger (married to Lynn), and Scott Berger (married to Allison); as well as three great-grandsons (Colton, Nicholas, and Anderson) and three great-granddaughters (Molly, Hannah, and Noemi). He is also survived by a nephew (Dan Clegg), a niece (Ellen Gamble), and numerous cousins.

Services will be held at Forest Park Lawndale in Houston on May 12 at 9:00 a.m. and at Brookdale West University on May 13 at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to the charity of your choice.