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Jack Henry Presnell, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, and friend passed away on October 19, 2017 at the age of 98.
Jack was born in his country home near Austin, Texas on December 27, 1918 to Ollie Lionel Presnell and Frances Iverna Meek Presnell. His father served in the famous Texas 36th Infantry Division during WWI. His mother grew up on a cotton farm and taught elementary school before she married Ollie. His father had wanderlust, so the family traveled and lived in southern California and back to Texas three times before Jack was nine years old. He worked as a roughneck for the Standard Oil of California (now Chevron) in the early years and then became the manager of a new Safeway grocery store and later delivering milk in Pasadena, California. His father in died January 1929 during the great global influenza epidemic.
Jack's mother held the family together with his younger sister Betty and struggled thru the great depression. Other family joined the household and together encourage all to the potential job opportunities available to them during these difficult times. His parents set the example of Christian living and emphasized the importance of a good education.
Jack skipped several grades during elementary school and graduated from Austin High School in January 1935 a month following his 16th birthday. Six years later, in 1941, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Petroleum Production Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Like so many young people during this time he worked several part time jobs to pay for his college education.
Jack went to work with the Phillips Petroleum Company on February 19, 1941 as an apprentice engineer in the Oil & Gas Production Department. Jack career with Phillips Petroleum lasted 42 years. It included assignments in Borger and Pasadena, Texas as well as several assignments in Bartlesville Oklahoma. His work required his management skills in butadiene, ammonium nitrate, high density polyethylene, and polypropylene production. These critical petrochemicals helped to win WWII (butadiene) and contributed to the quality of life we all experience today. Jack was a pioneer in both petrochemical business and international downstream activities for Phillips Petroleum.
Jack met Johnnye Faye Bradshaw in 1943 in Borger, Texas. They both were working for Phillips Petroleum in the Federal Rubber Reserve Program. They began dating each other and were married on June 28, 1946. They became loving partners for life for 66 years. Jack said several times that the smartest, best decision he ever made was asking Johnnye to marry him. Their union was blessed with three wonderful daughters, Margaret Louise (Peggy) Brewster, Amy Ruth Cox Presnell and Janice Kay Presnell. He was blessed with four grandsons, Timothy Cox, Jeffery Cox and wife Megan, Jeremy R. Blake, Kris Bailey and wife Lisa, and granddaughter Jodi Moehring and husband Mark. Jack was also blessed with nine great grandchildren. He is also survived by a sister Betty Goen of Tampa, Florida.
Jack was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Johnnye, daughter Amy Cox Presnell and grandson Jeremy R. Blake.
Jack accepted Christ as his Savior at the age of nine in Austin, Texas when he was baptized in the cold waters of Barton Creek (now part of Zilker Park in Austin, Texas). Both of his parents stressed activity in church and living each day by Christian values. His mother made sure he grew up in the church (First Baptist of Austin, Texas). This training and guidance shaped his thinking for the rest of his life. He was active in both church and civic causes. He taught youth Sunday school and worked on many church building committees and boards. He was a lifetime member of Rotary and was named a Paul Harris Fellow several times. He attended many Rotary meetings around the world during his work assignments for Phillips Petroleum. He was active in community and college education serving on boards of educations in Pasadena, Texas and the colleges of Oklahoma Baptist in Shawnee, Oklahoma and the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as an advisor.
Before during and after all else is said, Jacks top priorities were always his loving wife and family and his faith in God.
Memorial services for Mr. Presnell will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Friday, October 27, 2017 at the First Baptist Church in Bartlesville with Pastor James Biesiadecki officiating. Memorial services and cremation are under the direction of the Stumpff Funeral Home & Crematory.
The Presnell family requests that memorial donations in Mr. Presnell's memory, be made to the Owasso Baptist Children's Home, 12700 East 76th Street North, Owasso, Oklahoma, 74055 of to the First Baptist Church, New Building Project, P.O. Box 1080, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, 74003
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