Harry O'Neal McLeod Jr.

Harry O’Neal McLeod, Jr., Ph.D., passed away at home the evening of Aug. 9, 2022, at the age of 90. Harry was born Feb. 26, 1932, in Shreveport, Louisiana, as the first child of Harry (Sr.) and Odelle McLeod. The family lived in the small rural community of Oil City, Louisiana, until 1943 when they moved to Longview, Texas, where he graduated from Longview High School in 1949. He attended the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado, and graduated with a degree in petroleum engineering in 1953. After college, he worked briefly for Phillips Petroleum before joining the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the end of the Korean War as an active and reserve commissioned officer (1953-1961). During his reserve status, he pursued graduate studies at the University of Oklahoma, while working for Phillips Petroleum Co. in Paul’s Valley, Oklahoma. He eventually would receive his master’s and Ph.D. in petroleum engineering. During his time at OU, he met and married Sandra Lou Mahaffey McLeod in 1959. The couple raised two children (Kathleen Odelle McLeod Megehee and Bryan O’Neal McLeod), and were guardians to Stephen Andrew Mahaffey, Sandra’s youngest brother. He was accomplished in his field and devoted his professional career to evaluating oil well behavior and making continuous improvements to project technology. He made an impact on artificial-lift and hydraulic fracturing systems and developed a formation analysis technique for evaluating wells. In 2009, he was named one of eight Legends of Production and Operations by the Society for Petroleum Engineers, for his pioneering work in advancing technology and technical literature in petroleum engineering. He retired from Conoco in 1997, and devoted much of his later years to traveling with Sandra, supporting his church by singing in the choir and teaching Sunday school, and extending the church’s ministry through Methodist Men of Action group activities, as well as joining his dear friend and colleague Lou Powers in the Prison Ministry. Those who knew him frequently remember his kindness more than his many accomplishments. He is preceded in death by his parents, Harry O’Neal McLeod, Sr., Odelle Crow McLeod; his brother Jerry R. McLeod of San Francisco, California; and brother-in-law Patrick Mahaffey of Houston, Texas. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Sandra Lou Mahaffey McLeod; his sister B. Dianne McLeod of Las Cruces, New Mexico; his daughter Kathleen McLeod Megehee and her husband Mark Megehee of Decatur, Alabama; son Bryan O’Neal McLeod and his wife Lesa Cowart McLeod of Houston, Texas; brother Stephen Mahaffey and wife Marie Mahaffey of Katy, Texas; three grandchildren, Holly Skye McLeod, Matthew Megehee, Paul Megehee; nephews Steve McLeod and Mark McLeod of Tulsa, Oklahoma; nephews Andrew Mahaffey and Michael Mahaffey of Houston, Texas; sister-in-law Janna Mahaffey of Charlottesville, Virginia and niece Brittain Mahaffey of Queens, New York. A memorial service at Memorial Drive United Methodist Church will be held Friday, Aug. 26 at 11 a.m. with a reception to follow.

Harry O'Neal McLeod Jr.

February 26, 1932 - August 9, 2022