Jack E. Stalsby

JACK EVERETT STALSBY was born in Conroe, TX on August 3, 1926. Mr. Stalsby died on October 15th in San Antonio, TX of natural causes having had a "great run" fulfilled and content with a life well lived. Mr. Stalsby wrote this obituary himself, and said, "since my estate will be paying for this notice I want it done "My Way."

My Father had been killed in an automobile accident when I was 18 months old. My Mother was a young Widow with a sixth grade education. It was necessary for me to go live with an Aunt and Uncle for the next five years of my life, while my Mother learned how to survive. Rejoining my Mother when I was 8 years old, in 1934, she set me down and taught me that there were no "free rides in life," but there is "OPPORTUNITY" if you're willing to work.

Being a native of Houston, Texas, I attended Fannin Elementary; Sidney Lanier Junior; and Lamar Senior High School. After a two year stint in the Army Air Force during World War II, Jack graduated from The University of Houston in 1949 with a Business Administration degree and major in Economics. He is a Life Member of the Houston Alumni Association. On campus, Jack was a founding member of The Cavaliers Fraternity, a forerunner for Sigma Nu Fraternity.

By the time I was 27 years old I was driven to my knees by a complex business situation that was "too big for me to handle." One morning, about 3:30 A.M., after a restless night I finally got out of bed and fell down on my knees crying like a baby asking GOD for help. That morning I went to the office and announced God's intervention (he had helped me) and the rest was history. We liquidated the business, which left my Aunt, Mother and myself unemployed.

My Mother and Aunt immediately found employment. It took me three months and many restless nights before I found employment in the Oil Industry (Marketing); starting at the bottom wiping windshields and pumping gasoline. The oil business became my life's work. The real lesson here however was at 27 years of age I had found GOD and never had any doubts about "GOD BEING REAL" for the rest of my life. I often said "I know GOD is for real because he came into my life."

Most people like me never have the opportunity to tell the story of their life. Since there is no one else we are accepting this responsibility. You see, I have lived a charmed life in the greatest country in the world, the United States of America. Yet I find things today that cause me concern for America's future. Based on his Mother's early influence about hard work and his personal experiences with our maker, I always carried two major themes in life; GOD and OPPORTUNITY. It is my wish that this Obituary will cause many to think and reason in a favorable way about these personal driving principles; GOD and OPPORTUNITY.

I found OPPORTUNITY in the oil business starting with CONOCO in 1955. Moving to Texas Eastern Transmission (La Gloria Oil & Gas) in 1967; the Oil Daily in 1970 and ultimately into business for ourself, as Stalsby, Inc. in 1974. He was a man whose word was his bond and although he drove hard bargains, his business deals were always undertaken as if GOD was the referee.

We hit our stride as an oil marketer and further developed as an entrepreneur, investor, publisher, and banker. We founded "Stalsby's Who's Who in Petroleum Supply" series of directories, which is still in existence today as OPIS/Stalsby and is widely used in the oil industry. They became known as the "Who's Who for Petroleum Supply". I also designed the Stalsby Petroleum Supply and Accounting computer software program. It was this early foray into computers and programming that led me to be an early and avid adopter of technology. This led to publishing and eventually into banking investments. I had become Chairman of the Board for Ashford Bank when we helped orchestrate its merger with MBank in 1981.

As I matured, (in retirement) one of my favorite stories on the road to financial and business success was to tell how I came to sell OPIS/Stalsby twice, for a million dollars each time. My personal rules for becoming financially comfortable were to "never spend more then you make;" and "learn to live off the money that your money makes." Of course we always saved the punch line when as "where does that money come from;", my retort was always, "we saved that money."

I married Greta Sue Wright in 1973. We lived in Houston, TX; Naples, FL.; Kerrville, TX.; Colorado Springs, CO.; and San Antonio, TX. Greta was full of life and together we had built a business and enjoyed the fruits of our success as we were active in oil marketing, publishing, and investments. With friends we enjoyed traveling and spending time at our 2nd homes, Naples, FL & Colorado Springs, CO. We were able to experience the Kentucky Derby; the Great Wall of China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indianapolis 500, football bowl games: Hula, Cotton, Rose Bowl, Games & Parade, Super Bowl, World Series, Final Fours (81-82-83) and many great golf outings with friends.

Together we enjoyed golfing and were members of Champions Golf Club, Houston; The Wilderness; Naples, FL; Riverhill Country Club, Kerrville, TX; Garden of the God's; Colorado Springs, CO; and retired to The Dominion Country Club, San Antonio, TX. We were also members of The Houston Club; Houston Petroleum Club; The Argyle; Club Giraud; and at one time Oak Hills in San Antonio, TX.

At one time we were members of A.A.R.P. but resigned because they were too liberal. In the same vein, I also wanted to be remembered as a member of Sam's Club and Costco as we were never afraid to pinch the penny, and understood these deeply engrained conservative financial endeavors.

In life, I enjoyed a

full career that was truly highlighted with the founding of The Jack E. & Greta W. Stalsby Foundation in my 80th year. The foundation was created with my wife Greta to "pay-back" and "provide others a chance" -- an opportunity to grow and succeed in life through education." There was no question that the Stalsby Foundation added a new dimension to my life. Winston Churchill had once said, "We make a living by what we get, we make a life from what we give." I adopted Churchill's tenet and used it to inform the purpose of the Stalsby Foundation.

September 2007 brought new honors to Stalsby as he was awarded a "Certificate of Merit" by the Freedoms Foundation of Valley Forge and named to the Board of Trustee's of Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan. We also joined the Board of the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio (President's Development Board).

Realizing that a college diploma "did not make you smarter than anyone else, but it did make you equal," the Stalsby Foundation was established to help deserving young people received a college education -- to provide the opportunity his mother guided him to seek as a youngster. The University of Houston, Hillsdale College, UTHSCSA and Hope Cottage are recipients of scholarship grants from the Foundation. Mrs. Stalsby (my wife Greta) was adopted from Hope Cottage, Dallas, TX by the W. V. Wright Family of Dallas, TX.

As you have read my story I hope you come to realize that GOD and OPPORTUNITY have played a dominant role in my life without the benefits of charity or hand-outs. We have come to believe in the conservative way of life, where GOD has allowed me to "go for It," on my own without the interference of UNCLE SAM. We have been allowed to be a FREE man and achieve what we have doing it "MY WAY." With GOD'S HELP of course. This is all expressed in the following "MY CREED" as my guidance through life. Thank you for letting me share this with you. I hope you can be as rich in life as I have been. Thank GOD for the OPPORTUNITY.

I was preceded in death by my wife, Greta on January 4, 2007.

MY CREED

"I do not choose to be a common man. It is my right to be uncommon --- if I can, I seek opportunity --- not security. I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me. I want to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build, to fail and succeed.

I refuse to barter incentive for dole. I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence: the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of Utopia. I will not trade freedom for beneficence nor my dignity for a handout. I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat. It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafraid, to think and act for myself, to worship as I please, to enjoy the benefit of my creations, and to face the world boldly and say, 'This I have done,' "All this is what it means to be an "AMERICAN."

My Creed was written by the Honorable Dean Alfange (an American statesman who immigrated to the United States from Turkey, he became an Attorney, and served his country in the U. S. Army during World War II).

In lieu of flowers please make contributions in honor of Greta Sue Stalsby to Hope Cottage; 4209 McKinney Avenue; Dallas, Texas 75205, or a Charity of your choice.

GRAVESIDE SERVICE

SUNDAY

OCTOBER 19, 2014

3:30 P.M.

MISSION BURIAL PARK NORTH

20900 IH 10 WEST

My parting wish for a "CELEBRATION OF LIFE" by my friends will be conducted at The Dominion Country Club; San Antonio, Texas on Sunday, October 19th from 4:30 P.M. till 6:30 P.M. Light Food and Refreshments with Music by Stan Wayne and his band will be provided. Please drop by if you can and please join in with my friends for this remembrance.