Ernest Ralph Green

Ernest Ralph Green, born on August 15, 1931, in Brownwood, Texas, returned to his Maker and Savior, Jesus Christ, on June 24, 2021 in Midland, Texas. His father was in the oil business and moved the family from Brownwood to Albany, Texas when he was a toddler. He spent his childhood there but graduated high school from Texas Military Institute in San Antonio. The following several years included a year at the Texas School of Mines (now UTEP) in El Paso, working in the oil fields, on an oil pipeline in New Mexico, a copper mine in Arizona, in magazine sales in Canada and two years in Germany in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. Upon his return to the U.S., he ventured north to Nome, Alaska for several months working in a gold mine before returning to college at the University of Texas in Austin. While working at Cardinal Chemical in Odessa, Texas, during a summer break from UT, he met and married Glenda (Sally) Breeze of Midland in 1956, and they made their first home together in Austin where he finished obtaining a B.S. in Geology in 1958. During their time in Austin, their son Ralph Alan was born.

Geologists were a “dime a dozen” at that time, so he began his post graduate career with Halliburton Oil Well Servicing Company in Midland, Texas. After receiving an offer from an Independent oil man in Los Angeles to work as a geologist in the Wilmington Oil Field in Southern California, the family moved to Long Beach, CA in 1959, and their son David Scott arrived in 1960. An opportunity arose at this time to be a part of the THUMS Long Beach consortium composed of five major oil companies drilling for oil off the coast of Long Beach. Ralph spent 13 years in Long Beach during which time he obtained an M.S. in Petroleum Engineering from U.S.C.

In 1972, Texas beckoned him home to Seminole, TX where he worked as a Petroleum Engineer for Amerada-Hess. The family then moved to Pampa, TX where he became Chief Reservoir Engineer for Cabot Corporation. After several years there, they settled in Midland in 1979 where he was a Petroleum Engineer for the First National Bank of Midland before becoming an Independent Consulting Petroleum Engineer in 1981, with his wife joining him as his associate. They worked together until their retirement the end of September, 2019. During their nearly 65 years of marriage, they enjoyed many trips abroad including Canada, Hawaii, Scotland, England, Israel and New Zealand. He loved to play golf and spent several years having golfing adventures throughout the U.S. with the “Green Men” composed of himself, his two sons, his brother and his nephew. A golf highlight happened with son Ralph when they attended the practice rounds of the 2008 Master’s Golf Tournament. The name “Green” appeared on the leader board with Tiger Woods at one hole and they capitalized on that with a camera shot!  Singing Tenor with a small ensemble from the church choir when they visited several cathedrals in Scotland and England helped prepare him for the heavenly choir of which he is now a part!

The following months after retirement, his health began to decline as a result of Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson’s disease and after several trips to the E.R., hospital and rehabs, and finally a broken hip in October of 2020, he required the care of Ashton Medical Lodge nursing home until his death. During all this time, we are grateful to God for all the care he received by the nurses, aides and doctors of Ashton and Manor Park Rehab, and the attention paid by his collegial friends in the oil business and the pastors, staff and friends of First Presbyterian Church.

He was a member of AAPG, SIPES, WTGS, PBPA, a 50 Year Legion of Honor Member of SPE, long standing member of the First Presbyterian Sanctuary Choir, and a Deacon and Elder in the Presbyterian denomination. In his later years of service at FPC, he made numerous Mission trips to the Texas/Mexico Border, Colombia, Costa Rica, Belize and Uganda. In heaven, he is finally the proud owner of a pet elephant! He spent a life well lived in honor of his Lord, his family and his work. We will miss his generous spirit, his laughter and sense of humor.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Louis F. and Carrie M. Green; his brother Louis F. Green, Jr. and sister Carrie L. Green Bagley. Survivors include his wife, Sally of Midland; son Ralph and wife Lynn and grandson Christopher and wife Christin all of Ft. Worth, Texas; grandson Andrew and wife Susan of Midland, Texas; son David and wife Beth, of Arlington, Texas; granddaughter Ashlee and husband Mike Hosch and great grandson Connor of Cabot, Arkansas; granddaughter Shea and husband Brandon Beseda and great granddaughter Addy of Fulshear, Texas; and grandson Christian and wife Caroline of Dallas, Texas; several cousins, nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, Memorials can be made to the Uganda Water Well Mission fund of the First Presbyterian Church, 800 W. Texas Ave., Midland, TX 79701 or a charity of your choice. A Memorial Service will be held on August 14, 2021 at 2 PM at the church. Sally will remain in Midland at 137 Abell Hanger Circle, Midland, TX 79707.