Jack Smyth Josey
Deceased Name: Jack
Josey, oil engineer, businessman, war hero
Jack Smyth Josey,
son of a Spindletop-era wildcatter who became a
petroleum engineer, war hero, and oil and real estate entrepreneur, died of
heart complications Thursday at his winter home in
"He was a
wonderful man who always took the high road and always did the right
thing," said his wife, Donna.
During his career,
he owned Josey Oil Co. in
Josey's family had deep
roots in
Josey's father, Lenoir M.
Josey, sold an ice company in
Lenoir M. Josey II,
Jack Josey's son, said people often mistakenly linked
his father to the infamous stories of his grandfather's lifestyle as a flamboyant
nightfly and gambler.
"My father was
a businessman, war hero and a friend of education who many people
admired," he said. "Whereas my grandfather was the wildcatter, my
father went on to become a petroleum engineer, so he brought more technology to
the oil field."
Jack Josey grew up
in
Josey married his
college sweetheart, Elva Johnson, and they had three children.
He worked for his
father after graduation and volunteered to serve in the Navy after the bombing
of
He served as a
gunnery officer on a destroyer escort during many battles in the South Pacific.
He earned a Bronze Star for saving people during the sinking of an aircraft
carrier, and he shot down kamikaze pilots attempting to destroy another
carrier.
Josey loved to
travel and collect art and antiques. He also sponsored dozens of scholarships
anonymously.
He is survived by
his wife, Donna; daughter Carolyn Josey Young; sons Robert A. Josey and Lenoir
M. Josey II; stepdaughters Laurel Page, Donna Kurka,
Emily Neuhoff and Virginia Redican;
and stepson Joe O. Neuhoff III.
