Mike Graul

A visitation was held at St. Jerome Catholic Church, 8825 Kempwood Drive in Houston, on Monday, January 12, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The Funeral Mass was celebrated at 11:00 a.m. with Reverend Michael J. Carmody as celebrant, and assisted by Deacon Dan O'Dowd. Following a reception at the church, the Rite of Committal was held at Memorial Oaks Cemetery, also in Houston.

“I agree with the realistic Irishman who said he preferred to prophesy after the event.”

- GK Chesterton

Mike Graul (John Michael Graul), of Houston TX, left his post in the Church Militant after 91 years of continuous service and joined the Church Suffering on January 5, 2026.

A Catholic, husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle, geophysicist, coach, teacher, president, business owner, entrepreneur, PA announcer, member of the Knights of Columbus, Lifetime member of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG), member of Delta Tau Delta, and many other service organizations and activities where he made immediate and long-lasting contributions. Mike used a 3:30 AM wake-up time for reading, writing, and thinking. The remainder of the day was one of action. A staunch independent, he valued a meritocracy and insisted on improving the lives of those around him through servant leadership and subsidiarity.

A professional, through and through…

Mike Graul was born in New York City (Manhattan) and grew up in upstate New York. Growing up he valued the outdoors, summer camps, and water related activities. Family vacations were often held on Lake Skaneateles. As a high school senior at Syracuse Central he posted the high score for the NY State Regents exam and was offered scholarships from several universities including MIT and RPI. He was also an accomplished two-way football player. Mike attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) where he earned a BS in geology with a geophysics option; he chose the geophysics option because he preferred differential equations over micropaleontology. He also played offensive guard for the RPI football team for four years and could recite the RPI fight song on cue. After college, Mike joined Chevron and then traveled south of the Mason Dixon Line for the first time. One of his first assignments was working on a seismic crew in the swamps of South Louisiana; Mike got little sleep when he discovered that alligators do live in the United States. The next 3 years were spent traveling across the United States on a variety of Chevron’s seismic field crews in some of the most romantic Texas towns: Sherman, Snyder, Big Spring, and Midland. This exciting tour included Wibaux and Billings, MT and Minot, ND; after which he explored big city life in Denver and New Orleans, where he got his training in analog processing. He was assigned to the Chevron research facility in La Habra, CA where he assisted in the design of analog processing devices including a correlation device for statics and another analog device for the migration of seismic data (!), also used for processing in New Orleans.*

… but that was only the beginning of his professional career, impact, and accomplishments.

In 1980, Mike established Exploration Education Consultants, an organization that enhanced the calling for which Mike is most renowned throughout the industry, i.e. teaching. He taught public and private classes for many companies and organizations, enlightening thousands of students in both professional and academic settings.** Mike taught graduate courses at the University of Houston and Rice University and lectured or presented short courses at many other universities. He served on the faculties of both the University of Texas and the University of Houston, and developed courses in AVO, Deconvolution, and Static Corrections for the SEG Continuing Education Program, some of which are still being taught after many years. Mike authored a monthly technical article for the GSH Journal. These articles have also been published in two volumes Tutorial Nuggets: The Book and Tutorial Nuggets: Book II. These articles have a profoundly unique style that highlight Mike’s ability to explain complex subjects with a penchant for humor that makes learning very entertaining.

In 1986, Mike formed TexSeis, Inc. with Cheri Williams (formerly of Chevron). TexSeis, Inc. provides full-service 2D and 3D seismic processing. Mike served as the president and owner of TexSeis, Inc. He also served as a consultant to the Bureau of Economic Geology in the development of processing techniques for the implementation of Bob Hardage’s SvP converted wave applications. He was frequently called as an expert witness on geophysical matters, including a one-off occasion involving the South African government in which his co-expert for 6 years was Tad Ulrich – an unequaled experience.

Mike was renowned for his generous volunteer efforts for GSH and other organizations. Mike became Chair of the GSH Education Committee where he worked to establish various curricula for the local geophysical community. He served as 1st VP of the GSH in 2006, President-Elect in 2008, President in 2009-10, and later as an SEG Section Representative. In 2013-15 Mike was elected as the first Chair of the SEG Council, an international body representing the entire 33,000+ membership. In 2010, with Lee Lawyer and others, he initiated the publication of the GSH Journal. In 2011, Mike chaired the GSH Webinar Committee and helped initiate the very popular GSH Webinar series.*** When asked why he volunteered for the GSH, Mike said that he gained as much from his efforts as did those on the receiving end. As many teachers would recognize, there is much to be gained from preparing lessons for class presentations. Maybe the teacher persona also explains why Mike got satisfaction from helping others in multiple ways. Mike loved to see students do well, and he enjoyed having a positive influence on them. He also enjoyed making things funny; life is too short not to enjoy things.****

Extracurricular activities filled the void…

A thinker of monumental proportions – he was, however, not without an active wit. For example, it was this overly active wit that earned him a well-deserved “semester-off” from his studies at RPI when he chartered an airplane to fly over the campus and drop leaflets in support of a fellow fraternity bother’s election to student body president.

Bridge, hearts, spades, pool, darts, ping-pong (one that he built) – were always in play at the Graul household. His great sense of humor and affable character made him a pleasure to be around and visit with. He enjoyed family, good reading (with favorites such as David Copperfield, Magnificent Obsession, The Razor’s Edge, Patriot Games), movies (Citizen Kane, Dr. Strangelove, The Company), and sports (whether through coaching, cheering, or just keeping game statistics). In fact, Mike spent decades coaching, organizing, and leading a variety of youth sports programs in baseball, football, and soccer. His time and talent were recognized by not only his immediate beneficiaries – his children, but also by the hundreds of participants who he interacted with as a volunteer.

Good friend and colleague, Bob Hardage, opined: “One of the early signs that Mike was going to excel in teaching can be found in his involvement as a coach of youth baseball and football. When his children were in high school, Mike used his booming voice to announce their Friday night football games. Sports were an integral part of Mike’s life especially when involving Texas A&M or Notre Dame.”

Additionally, Mike contributed his talent to assist in a wide-variety of church-related efforts from managing and directing a high-school production of Jesus Christ Superstar, to leading the annual church bazaar, to BBQ sales with the Knights of Columbus.

Bearing a great love for animals, he once went so far as to improve the family’s St. Bernard “Bernie’s” diet through various culinary techniques before they were fashionable – including one semi-failed effort highlighted by warming dog biscuits in the microwave for what was expected to be an improved taste experience – netting both a largely baffled dog and the need for a new microwave oven.

One of his grandchildren mused: “As his grandchildren can readily attest, he never stopped learning and certainly never stopped teaching. Countless puzzles and brain teasers awaited them on each visit, with hints and encouragement aplenty, though never an easy way out. He was fond of Marilyn Vos Savant’s column, which posed high-quality problems and teasers even he found “occasionally challenging.” God forbid, however, you fail the Monty Hall test, lest you risk the Bayesian wrath. In a greater test of mettle, he even included his (willing) grandchildren in the practice of geophysical consultation. Survivors of “Camp TexSeis” can speak to the thrills of “killing traces”, the horrors of Snell’s Law, and the illuminating joys of his Short-Courses where he “learned even the most educated geophysicists a thing or two.” He taught his grandchildren to play bridge like a grandmaster with the patience of a saint and the resolve of an apostle. His relationship with each grandchild was unique and genuine – a testament to his understated emotional intelligence. He amazed them with magic tricks, beguiled them with wit, engaged them in wordplay, lauded them in their success, but challenged them always: supra et ultra.”

Grandpa, as they knew him, held noteworthy beliefs: red wine is a universal good, dogs are the keenest of animals, everyone needs a magic trick or two, the mind should be well-oiled and tested, explore the world around you, and never, ever, cease to learn and be amazed.

Mike was preceded in death by his first wife Nancy Hinchey Graul (Houston), his father John C. Graul, his mother Ann Leonard Graul (Syracuse, NY), and granddaughter Callie Ann Graul (Tyler, TX). He is survived and missed by his wife Susan Roberds Graul, children: Patrick and his wife Kim of Mt. Selman, TX, Michael and his wife Donna of Bryan, TX, Kelly and her husband Lance Parks of Dickinson, TX, Colleen and her husband Jose Rodriguez of Manvel, TX; grandchildren Shea (Dallas), Teagan, Rylie, Cadence, and Ryker (all of Mt. Selman), Lance and his wife Meghan (Columbia, SC), Lane (Houston, TX), Heather (Pflugerville, TX), Harrison, Sullivan, and Caroline Parks of Dickinson, TX, Erin and Elise Rodriguez of Manvel, TX; and great granddaughter Guinevere of Columbia, SC.

“The riddles of God are more satisfying than the solutions of man.” (GKC)

To borrow from one of his favorite books, “The man I am writing about is not famous. It may be that he never will be. It may be that when his life at last comes to an end, he will leave no more trace of his sojourn on earth than a stone thrown into a river leaves on the surface of the water … But it may be that the way of life that he has chosen for himself and the peculiar strength and charm of his character may have an ever-growing influence over his fellow men so that, long after his death perhaps, it may be realized that there lived in this age a very remarkable creature.” (WSM)

A loyal servant for over 91 years in the Church Militant who by the Grace of Our Father, Son, and Holy Spirit now joins the Church Suffering on a path to the Church Triumphant.

Requiescat in pace.

An Appendix for a man who lived lifetimes where many are lucky to live one

It is not often that an obituary merits endnotes. Alas, the endnotes do not scratch the surface of Mike’s life.

*The Applied Research division moved into the digital age and also to Houston, TX. His research efforts were focused on developing techniques in seismic signal processing. His work in complex trace analysis, Radon filtering, and array analysis have been in use for over 30 years. Houston became Mike’s permanent home, where he spent the remainder of his 24-year career with Chevron”

Mike had four children: a geophysicist, a doctor, a lawyer, and an engineer.

**His final teaching topics focused on AVO, azimuthal processing and various technical aspects of seismic processing and acquisition, always with a liberal sprinkling of the fundamentals of convolution, correlation, and Fourier analysis. His co-instructors were some of the most highly regarded geophysicists in our industry.

*** In this effort Mike realized that students in a class would be far less distracted if they did not have to look at his face; in a webinar, the students could concentrate on the screen and the subject matter and lessen the stomach distress by not seeing Mike. To prove the concept Mike and Fred Hilterman presented the first GSH Webinar in 2011 on the subject of AVO. This presentation was very successful and also provided the opportunity for students from all over the world to partake in the online presentation without having to incur travel costs. The GSH continues its very popular webinar series today. The webinars have also provided a very critical source of income for the GSH.

**** He is a Trustee of the SEG Foundation and in recent years has received the Special Commendation Award, the prestigious Honorary Membership award, and the Life Membership award from the Society of Exploration Geophysicists. In addition to the GSH officer positions that he previously held, he received the GSH Honorary Membership Award in 2004, Life Membership Award in 2013, SEG Life Membership Award in 2019, and the Council Medal in 2024.”

*****(We give deep thanks and credit to testimonials from Bob Hardage, Fred Hilterman, and Mark Bronston, and Mike’s SEG Wiki-page, GSHtx.org, for the career information above).