Horace Solly Ward Solsbery

After graduating from San Angelo High School, he put himself through the petroleum engineering program at the University of Texas at Austin by working in the West Texas oilfields.

Prior to joining the war effort in 1943, he married his college sweetheart, Hilda Tillotson. He earned the Bronze Star while serving as a captain in the Army Air Corps on Guam; heading up the Supply Division that facilitated the Pacific arena's mission.

After the war, he joined Oilwell Supply, a division of U.S. Steel Corp. where he managed the company's U.S., Canadian and Gulf Coast equipment sales operations, working with a number of the oil-industry giants of the time.

He was a long time member of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, The Town Club, Downtown Rotary and served on the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army.

He loved growing roses and playing golf with his oil industry friends.

He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Hilda; their three children; Steven Solsbery and wife, Betsy; Carol McGanity and husband, Peter; and Anne Louise Solsbery; two brothers, Doug Solsbery and Billy Taylor; one sister, Ann Brasher; three grandchildren, Sara and Catherine McGanity and Lauren Solsbery.

Solly had a larger than life personality and a keen mind.

We will miss his guidance, humor, wonderful stories and the West Texas songs he would sing to his grandchildren while around his swimming pool.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to St. Luke's Episcopal Church or a charity of one's choice.