Graydon Eugene Yester

Graydon E. (Grady) Yester was born August 17, 1927, at his parents’ home in the rural community of Trail Run, Ohio. His parents, William M., and Blanche Haudenschield Yester owned and operated a small country grocery store and distributed Standard Oil Co. of Ohio petroleum products. Grady spent his early childhood in that community, helping in the store and doing farm related chores. He graduated from Perry Rurat School, Antioch, Ohio in 1944, attended The Ohio State University during the 1944-45 school year and then joined the U.S. Navy June 1945. He was stationed at Great Lakes Naval Training Base when the radioactive bombs were dropped on Japanese cities ending World War II. He continued to serve in a Navy Seabee Unit in the South Pacific for two years where strategic naval facilities destroyed during WWII were being rebuilt. Grady completed his Naval Service during Sept. 1947 and then enrolled in Petroleum Engineering at Marietta College, Marietta, OH graduating Feb. 1951. He and the true love of his life, Martha Lee (Marty) Rhodes were married Sept. 29, 1950 in the First Christian Church, New Martinsville, W VA prior to Grady finishing his college education.

In early March 1951 the couple loaded their meager belongings into their 1949 Ford and headed west for Cody, WY where they established their first home. Grady began a 35-year career with The Ohio Oil Company and Marty became home manager in a strange environment under harsh conditions with a lack of local family support. Grady worked in various Professional, supervisory and managerial positions throughout the U.S. and Canada oil producing regions during his career retiring in 1986 as manager of Marathon’s Permian Basin, New Mexico and Oklahoma oil and gas operations. During his career Grady was a Licensed Professional Petroleum Engineer and Land Surveyor in Wyoming, a member of the American Petroleum Institute, the Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME and Marietta College Petroleum Dept. Advisory Committee. He also actively served several professional and civic organizations through the years. One of the most memorable assignments was as a working reservoir engineer on a major oil reserve study requested of the National Petroleum Council by President Ronald Reagan in 1982.

Grady was a member of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church New Beginnings Sunday School Class and Masonic Lodge. Marty and Grady were blessed with three children, Richard, Michael, and Katherine born while the family lived in Cody, WY but due to frequent transfers and moves found themselves in many new locations and homes throughout the U.S. and Canada. Those frequent moves resulted in a lifestyle that was close knit and supportive of family unity.

Grady retired Jan 1986 to a more leisurely lifestyle in Green Tree, Midland, TX. After retirement, the couple enjoyed golf, bowling, bridge, all types of games and extended travel, both domestic and international. Visiting family and friends in Calgary, Fresno and Ohio was high on their bucket list.

Grady is survived by son Michael, four grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. He has been preceded in death by his parents, wife Martha of 69+ years, son Richard and daughter Katherine.

Michael (Gail), grandson Reid (Whitney) and son Harrison Reid; grandson Scott (Charlotte) their children Stella Bee and Wesley Scott all live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Son-in-Law Richard Van Groningen, grandson Cory (Kristen) and sons Layne and Hayes; granddaughter Emily Williams (Kyle) and their three children, Hudson Thomas, Parker Graydon and Blake Katherine live in Fresno, CA.

At Grady’s request, no memorial service is planned. Martha’s and his cremains will be joined and committed to the wind and earth in an area of beautiful Ohio where they lived their early lives.

Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory in Midland.  Online condolences may be made at www.npwelch.com.

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