Bruce Montgomery Withers Jr., 82, passed away Monday, April 13, in The Woodlands. Withers is an alumnus of the university receiving his bachelor’s degree in petroleum and natural gas engineering. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Javelina Alumni Association and is a past president of the Texas A&I Alumni Association. 

 

Withers was born Oct. 11, 1926 in Stockdale. He postponed his college career and volunteered in the Army Air Force Cadet Program. He served primarily in Tokyo.

 

He spent 47 years in the oil and gas field, serving at Tenneco Oil Company, as president of Mitchell Energy and Development Corporation and as chairman and CEO of Trident, NGL Inc. He retired in 1997, but continued to serve on several boards of directors. He served as a member of the Board of Directors and President of the Gas Processors Association and was an active member of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers and the Society of Petroleum Engineers of the American Institute of Mechanical Engineers.

           

Withers received the Hanlon Award from the Gas Processors Association in 1990. The Hanlon Award is the most prestigious in the gas processing industry.

           

Visitation for Withers will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 17, at Forest Park of The Woodlands, 18000 I-45 South. A Memorial Celebration will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 18, at First Baptist Church of The Woodlands, 11801 Grogan’s Mill Road.