A time-out from everything Mexican to honor a great man; a great geologist and a great, great Texan.
I spoke to a Pete Rose orchestrated SIPES (Society of Independent Petroleum Earth Science Society) meeting in Austin years ago and saw Dr. Rose again at the memorial services of another great Texas geologist, Dwight Cassell, a couple of years ago where Dr. Pete and I both spoke affectionately about Dwight. Pete asked me to come have lunch with his friends in Austin after Dwight's death, I think one of the most recognized group of Texas geologists there is, and I was sitting a well at the time and could not attend... something I will always regret.
SIPES was something created many years ago by the Houston Geological Society. The Texas oil and gas industry, save the tight oil and gas sector, will miss Pete Rose a great deal.
I have a personally signed copy of Dr. Rose's book on the Texas Rangers; he was a great historian and had the good graces to recognize my work on early Mexican oil history.
My beloved industry has become hardened to its unique history and pays little attention to it anymore, sadly. Dr. Rose was one of many great men who brung us all to this dance.
Peter R. (Pete) Rose of Austin died of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) on December 19, 2022 at the age of 87 surrounded by his loving family. He was a fifth-generation Texan and "a man of many parts" – loving husband, caregiver, father and grandfather, Christian, geologist, historian, country musician, scholar, teacher, entrepreneur, rancher, writer, mentor, philosopher, citizen, leader, friend. He always said the infamous baseball player was named after him.
Pete was born in Austin on July 3, 1935, the second son of Mary Paterson and Llewellyn Rose. He was an Eagle Scout. He graduated from Austin High School in 1953, and the University of Texas with degrees in Geology (B. S., 1957, M. A., 1959, Ph. D. 1968). He married Judith Sue Drummond in 1956, and they had three daughters: Virginia, Cathy, and Peggy (born 1959, 1960, 1964); their marriage ended in 1978. He worked as a geologist for Shell Oil Co.; State University of New York at Stony Brook; the U. S. Geological Survey; and Energy Reserves Group, Inc. Pete went on his own in 1980 as an independent consulting geologist (dba Telegraph Exploration, Inc). A second marriage to Karen Watkins ended in 1987. The third time he finally got it right: Pete married the love of his life, Alice Haldeman Reid in 1989; two wonderful youngsters (Wally and Jennifer), a loving extended family, and many new friends were just some of the many good things that came along with Alice. His happiest times were spent with family and friends at their El Segundo Ranch.
They settled in Austin, where Pete resumed his consulting practice. From 1990 through 2001 Alice and Pete traveled the world, teaching his widely-hailed corporate training courses in the newly emerging field of petroleum exploration risk analysis. This success led to the founding in 1999 of Rose & Associates, LLP, the firm which continued and expanded his expertise in teaching industry courses, supporting software, and consulting. Pete's 2001 book, Risk Analysis and Management of Petroleum Exploration Ventures, went through seven printings, was translated into Japanese, Chinese, and Russian, and is known as "The Bible" in its field. He brought into the new firm recognized professionals who were smarter than he was; they finished buying him out in 2005, when he retired. Rose & Associates, LLP is known today as the leading international firm specializing in petroleum exploration and production risk analysis.
Pete Rose was one of a small cadre of lucky people who "never had to work a day in their lives" -- he loved being a geologist! Over 60 years, he published more than 80 papers, on an extremely wide variety of geotechnical topics, 13 of them after his 80th birthday! He was a compulsive reader and a polymath. Today, he is recognized as the leading authority on the geology and history of the Edwards Plateau, starting with his definitive monograph on the Edwards Limestone (1972), followed by a succession of related geological publications, and The Reckoning, the Triumph of Order on the Texas Outlaw Frontier (Texas Tech University Press, 2012), a history of how order and law came to the Texas Hill Country in the 1870s. He was a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Geological Society of America, and the Geological Society of London. He frequently served as a change-agent in various professional assignments and activities. Pete was an informed, outspoken, but polite critic regarding several controversial topics, such as anthropogenic climate change and critical race theory. During his retirement Pete served his profession as the 89th President of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG). He co-chaired a 2007 industry committee which sponsored a multidisciplinary conference in Washington, DC, to revise the definitions of SEC oil and gas reserves for new oil and gas resource plays; the SEC did so, thus encouraging private investment therein.
In 2013, Pete received the Petroleum Group Medal from the Geological Society of London, the first American to receive this coveted award, and, in 2014, AAPG's Halbouty Outstanding Leadership Award. In Austin, Pete was a member of the Austin Geological Society (President 2012/13), the English-speaking Union (President, 2011/12), the Austin Dance Club, the Geological Lunch-bunch, the Thursday morning Geriatric Golfers, Austin Christian Executives, St. David's Episcopal Church, and later, Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church, where he was a longtime member of the Senior Men's Bible Class. He served as Alice's primary caregiver after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease in early 2014.
Acknowledging all such professional recognition and valued memberships however, Pete was proudest of his children and stepchildren, and their many accomplishments and contributions. He is survived by his devoted wife of 34 years, Alice, his brother Pat Rose, daughters, Virginia Rose (Austin), Cathryn Rose (Tucson), and Peggy Rose Hanson and husband Greg (Denver), and his stepchildren, Wallace Pratt Reid and wife Kim (Houston), Jennifer Reid Hoesterey and husband Mark (Dallas), eight grandchildren: Jack, Ben and Beau Hanson and Maya Rose, McKenna and McKittrick Reid, and Cade and Edie Hoesterey; seven nephews and nieces; and eleven great-nephews/nieces. Pete was predeceased by his parents, Llewellyn (1995) and Mary Paterson (2000) and his sister Sally Rose Ramsey (1991). He is also survived by Elizabeth Sherry, his dedicated long-time assistant, good right arm, and cherished adoptive member of the family.
A memorial service will be held at the Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church on Saturday, January 21, 2023 at 2:00 p.m., followed by a reception in the adjoining church parlor. Memorial gifts in Pete's memory may be sent to The Gathering Program at Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church, the AAPG Foundation, Birdability, the Kimble County Historical Museum, Junction, TX, or a charity of your choice. His children are most grateful to him for passing on his fearless exploration of…everything.
The Houston Chronicle
Corpus Christi Geological Society
South Texas Geological Society