Charles Thomas "Tom" Austin

With earthly sadness but with eternal hope, Tom Austin went home to be with Jesus on May 24, 2015. Tom was born outside Mill Creek, Oklahoma in 1932 to his beloved parents Thelma and Joe Austin. His sisters, Jane and Judy, were born when he was a teenager. It was rough growing up in rural Oklahoma during the Depression years and the lessons he learned stayed with him the rest of his life. Tom graduated number 1 in his class from Mill Creek High School, where he also played basketball. In 1950, he attended East Central State, in Ada, Oklahoma as a math major and physics minor. He would have become a math teacher except the oil companies came looking for math majors and offered more money. He accepted a job with Texaco and found his life's calling. It was also at East Central that he met the love of his life and his wife of 61 years, Pat Mark. They married in 1954 and began their life together in Houston. Soon after their first child, Becky, was born they started traveling around the oil patch in Oklahoma having a son, Joe and a daughter Sheri along the way. Tom was baptized at the age of 28, along with his oldest children, in 1960 at the University Methodist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. When they were able to stay several years in Tulsa, Tom went back to school at night and got his Masters in Geophysics. Around this same time, he took a job with GMX a magnetic contracting company that later merged with GAI a gravity contracting company. From there with Melvin Hopkins and Homer Selman, he set up gravity and magnetic divisions at Tidelands International and later still with Petty-Ray Geophysical. After these ventures, he was ready to set out on his own. In 1976, he started Austin Exploration. From its humble beginnings, he built what is today the premier gravity and magnetic company in the world. This was his baby. He loved the work, the challenges and his customers. Tom recently sold his shares in the company to continue his legacy and his responsibilities to his customers. Tom was an emeritus member of the SEG and AAPG and for the last five years was a "Living Legend" at the yearly convention. Nothing meant more to Tom than his family. There was nothing he wouldn't do for them and they always knew how deeply they were loved by him. He also was a great friend and if you were his friend, you were a friend for life. He loved a good hunt and fishing with his friends. He is survived by his loving wife, Pat Austin. His three children, Becky Selman and her husband Dean, Joe Austin and his love Terri Mason, Sheri Johnston and her husband Brett. His eight grandchildren, Kate Soheili and her husband Sie, Whitney Johnston, Rachael Delph and her husband Jason, Grant Selman, Corbin Selman, Chance Austin, Audrey Johnston, and Alex Austin. He is also survived by his three precious great granddaughters Helen and Clara Soheili and Emma Brett Delph. His sisters, Jane Lodes and her husband Mike and Judy Stafford and her husband Eddie. Tom's life was a life well lived. You are invited to celebrate that life with us at Memorial Services at Grace Presbyterian Church Chapel, 10221 Ella Lee Lane, Houston, TX 77042, Friday, May 29, 2015 at 10:30 AM and Montgomery United Methodist Church, 22548 TX-105, Montgomery, TX 77356, Saturday, May 30, 2015 at 10:00 AM. In lieu of flowers please consider contributions in Tom’s name to the wonderful nurses and Doctors at Memorial Hermann Foundation, 929 Gessner, Suite 2650, Houston, Texas, 77024.

Charles Thomas "Tom" Austin

July 2, 1932 - May 24, 2015