Bill J. Maddox

Bill J. (Billie Jo) Maddox departed this earth on December 3, 2020, at the age of 94. He was born in Wilson, Oklahoma, on October 30, 1926, the only child of Virgil and Verba (Broughton) Maddox. The family lived in an oil field shack with no running water or electricity in Rexroat, Oklahoma, in the Healdton Oil Field. They later moved to Wilson and, in 1940, came to Gainesville, Texas, where Bill graduated High School in 1944.

Bill’s thrill in making the move to Gainesville was that it would allow him to find work in town. He worked at a gas station and hauled tires and newspapers to Camp Howze. But his favorite job was selling men’s clothing at the Kress store. There he honed his natural instincts for salesmanship. Bill joined the Merchant Marines out of high school - his eyesight disqualified him for the Army or Navy. He attended the Maritime Academy in St. Petersburg, Florida, and then went on to the radio operators school located on Gallups Island, near Boston. For the next two years, he sailed around the world as a radio officer on merchant ships hauling high octane aviation fuel to the South Pacific. During the last months of the war, he brought home soldiers returning from the European theatre. After that, he worked in the oilfield and attended college at the University of Oklahoma. His eyesight no longer a concern, Bill was drafted into the army in 1950. He served in a military police unit in the occupying forces in Germany. Upon returning to the States, he enrolled at North Texas State College in Denton, where he graduated with a degree in business in 1954. During this time, on April 29, 1953, he married Ella Ruth Kennedy of Gainesville. Upon graduation from college, Bill accepted a job with Skelly Oil Company as a scout in Billings, Montana. Thus began a lifelong passion for the oil business. Bill quickly advanced to the position of Landman. While employed with Skelly, over the next fourteen years, Bill and Ruth lived in Billings, Montana; Casper, Wyoming; and Denver, Colorado. They had a child in each place.  Later, Skelly moved the family to Wichita, Kansas; Shreveport, Louisiana; and back to Denver in 1967. A year later, Bill quit his job with Skelly to pursue a career as an independent landman.

His dream of being the guy driving the Cadillac rather than the rig hand was realized. After years of hard work and risk-taking, he truly embodied the spirit of a wildcatter. As an independent oil man, he thrived on the excitement of making big lease plays, participating in drilling wells, and making new discoveries.  He was not afraid of risk or dissuaded by dry holes. His love and instinct for the business served him well throughout his career. Once, when looking at an area on a map scattered with dry holes, he remarked, “Just think of all the oil that could be offsetting those wells!” This theory proved out when a well turned out to be a dry hole but had indications of oil nearby. He convinced the participants to immediately move the rig to an offset location and drill another well. That well turned out to be a nice discovery. All of it was fun for him, and he delighted in the oil business. Even as he lay dying, he wanted to get the drilling report on the latest well, “How’s that well in section 24 coming along?”

Bill and Ruth were married for 63 years before Ruth passed in 2017. Ruth insisted and encouraged Bill to cultivate other interests.  She enabled him to indulge his passion in buying and trading old cars. Bill’s outstanding find in this arena was an impeccable 1962 Lincoln Continental convertible, which he owned for 20 years. Ruth also suggested that they buy season tickets for the Denver Nuggets basketball team and attend games. For the entire time the Nuggets played at McNichols sports arena in Denver, Bill and Ruth could be found at virtually every home game sitting four rows right behind the Nuggets bench. They both became avid fans and readily transferred their allegiance to the Mavericks when they moved full time to Lake Kiowa in 2003.

Bill was a wonderful and loyal son to his parents, their only child, and the apple of his mother’s eye. He carried this love over to his family of five. He instilled in us his great sense of persistence, integrity, humor and passion for life. In High School, each of us were given a framed copy of the quote “Press On” by Calvin Coolidge, which ends with the words “Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”  Words he believed in and lived by.

Bill was a unique and memorable person. He was a man of faith and his life and character exemplified Christian principles. His tendency to use colorful language was not tolerated in his children. A sense of wanderlust instilled by his parents was carried over to his family and we enjoyed many long vacation car trips to various parts of the United States. He had an amazing ability to do math in his mind. While we were struggling to size up a calculation, he flew through them and arrived at the answer. This trait continued well into his 90’s. He was possessed of strong willpower, a charming personality, and a burning curiosity about the people he met. He treated everyone with respect. A man of honor and tenacity.  All who met him seemed to feel a personal connection. He had strong personal integrity, honesty and generosity. He was a colorful storyteller of humorous misadventures and always loved to hear a good story. This made him a champion lease-buyer and an even better person. He was an unapologetic supporter of conservative politics. He was our father, mentor, example and guiding light.  A true patriarch in every sense of the word. It is difficult to capture the nature of Bill J. Maddox in words.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents, Virgil and Verba Maddox, and his son-in-law Ron Lamb.  He is survived by his Daughter Monica Sue Lamb of Gainesville, Texas; Son Marcus David Maddox and wife Mary Katherine (Kay) of Midland, Texas; son Michael Jay Maddox of Carrollton, Texas; grandchildren Lindsay Patton and husband Andrew; Emily McNamara and husband Chris; Riley Lamb and wife Blair; Michael Maddox and wife Caitlin; Cabie Lamb; Lauren Beall and husband Matt; great-grandchildren Simon, Libby and Zoe McNamara,, Jack and John Patton, Dillon and Ellie Maddox, and Nora Lamb.

Funeral services for Bill J. Maddox are set for 10:00 am Tuesday December 8, 2020 at Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home in Gainesville, Texas. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery in Gainesville.  Pallbearers are Marc Maddox, Mike Maddox, Riley Lamb, Michael Maddox, Andrew Patton, Matt Beall, and Chris McNamara. Honorary Pallbearers are Doug Ackerman, Danny Broughton, Bill Odell.

The Maddox family wishes to express unlimited gratitude for the loving care and companionship given by LaDonna Angelly the last year and a half. Her cheerful countenance made his home a brighter place to be and enabled him to stay at home per his wishes.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, an organization Bill generously supported for decades. Please send to Boys Ranch, 600 SW 11 ^th Avenue, Amarillo, Texas 79101, www.calfarley.org .