December 2009 Vol. 236 No. 12

Business Meetings & Events

December Obituaries

William G. (Bill) Creel died at his home in Bartlesville, OK on Oct. 19. He was born Feb. 19, 1929 in Bartlesville and started his first job with H.C. Price Company at 16 as a truck swamper in North Dakota.

After graduating from the University of Oklahoma, he moved to New Orleans to continue work with Price. In 1963 he opened the office of Price International in London. Creel was responsible for helping build many of the world’s largest pipelines in the Middle East, Alaska and Australia. In 1975, he was named senior vice president of H. C. Price and in 1976 he was named president of the National Association of Pipe Coating Applicators. He retired from Price in 1979.

He leaves his wife, Carol, brother, Don, son, William, daughter, Kathleen and grandchildren. Friends may make contributions to: The William G. Creel Fund for Adult Day Care Scholarships for ElderCare, Washington County ElderCare, 1223 Swan Drive, Bartlesville, OK 74006 or St. John’s Catholic School, 121 E. 8th Street, Bartlesville, OK 74003.

Loy Sterling Clark, 92, died July 8 at his home in Beaverton, OR, with his son, Ron, and daughter, Debra, by his side. A businessman who made his fortune without a college degree, Clark was a pioneer in the pipeline construction industry in Oregon.

Clark’s first job was for Thatson Brothers Construction, earning 35 cents an hour in Bakersfield, AR. He joined the Local 3 Union at 17 and was a member for more than 50 years. In 1956, Clark began the first pipeline construction company in Oregon, Loy Clark Pipeline, with 12 employees. At its peak, he employed more than 350 employees, including three generations of family members. In 1985, Ron took over the helm, enabling his father to spend more time with family members. In 1999, the firm was sold to MDU though Clark still went to the office daily until he retired in 2006.

Morris E. Carr, 70, of Baxter, TN, died on June 12. His first pipeline job was with Houston Contracting in 1959. He also worked for H.C. Price, Reading and Bates, Associated Pipe Line Contractors, Gregory & Cook, Williams Brothers and several others. The last 17 years of his pipeline career were spent with Willbros International. Carr was a member of I.U.O.E. Local 917 in Chattanooga for 41 years. Condolences may be sent to the family at 322 Dyer Ridge Road, Baxter, TN 38544.

Gary D. Smith, co-chairman of the board of directors and co-CEO of Dril-Quip, Inc., died on Sept. 23. He had the principal responsibility for sales, service, training and administration.

Walter E. Michels died on Oct. 26 in Dallas. He was the father of Kathy Barrett, wife of Kevin Barrett, Executive Director of the Pipe Line Contractors Association.