Marvin LaVerne Katz

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 pm on December 2 at First Presbyterian Church of Richardson with David Schaefers officiating.

Marvin Katz was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Dr. Donald LaVerne Katz and Lila Maxine Katz on December 12, 1935. He went to Ann Arbor High School and married his high school sweetheart, Suzanne Gary, on September 10, 1955 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Marvin attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, earning a BS, MS, and PhD in Chemical Engineering.

Dr. Katz was first employed by the Sinclair Oil Corporation in Tulsa, OK from 1960-1969 as a Research Engineer and Systems Administrator. He then proceeded with a prestigious career as an executive with the Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO), serving in numerous leadership roles focusing primarily on exploration and production research, long-range planning and operations support. He left ARCO in the late 1980s and joined Chief Petroleum Company, retiring in 1992 as Vice President-Engineering.

Dr. Katz was a member of the Coordinating Subcommittee and chairman of the Technology Task Group of the National Petroleum Council's Committee on Enhanced Recovery Techniques for Oil and Gas in the U.S., and he served as a member of advisory committees to the Texas A&M and University of Tulsa Departments of Petroleum Engineering. Dr. Katz made significant contributions to the internationalization efforts of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE). He was a member of the Boards of both SPE and the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME). He served as a Treasurer of SPE and was the 1980 President of the Society. Active in the efforts of the SPE Foundation, Dr. Katz served as a Trustee, Executive Committee member, Vice President, Senior Vice President, President, and Chairman. He is an SPE Distinguished Service Award recipient and an SPE Distinguished Member.

Marvin was an avid bass fisherman, enjoying many fishing trips with his sons and friends. One of his proudest moments was catching a 14.03 lb largemouth bass from Lake Fork in 1995. Marvin also played the piano from an early age, often playing songs by ear to the enjoyment of his friends and family. He enjoyed cheering for Michigan Wolverines football, the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks, and Dallas Stars.

After retirement, Dr. Katz founded the West Highland Terrier (“Westie”) Rescue of North Texas. Through his leadership, countless Westies were nursed to health and placed in loving homes. He also was an active member for more than 40 years in the First Presbyterian Church of Richardson.

Dr. Katz is preceded in death by his father (Dr. Donald LaVerne Katz), mother (Lila Maxine Crull Katz), and sister (Linda Katz Cantrell).

He is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Suzanne Gary Katz, three children, 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren: daughter, Laura S. Katz Duke, of Plano, TX, married to Damon Duke, with children Matthew Duke, Megan Duke Lewis (married to Christopher Lewis, with children Lorelai, Adalaide, and Finnian), Zachary Duke (married to Kathrine Schmidt Duke with a baby girl expected in December), Jacob Duke, Hannah Duke, and Caroline Duke (all live in the DFW metroplex, with exception of Hannah who lives in Washington D.C.); son, Donald E. Katz, of Dallas, TX, married to Kathleen A. Doyle Katz, with children Eric Katz (Dallas), Nicholas Katz (Denver, CO) and Madalyn Katz (Dallas); and son, Stephen LaVerne Katz, of Austin, TX, married to Janet A. Katz, with children Anna Katz Eckert (married to Sam Eckert), and daughter Lila Katz (residents of Denton, TX).

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be given to First Presbyterian Church of Richardson. The family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Dr. Mark Fleschler for his years of caring.