Daniel Andrew North, formerly of Houston, Texas, was called Home on December 19, 2018 at the age of 92. We celebrate a life well-lived.
Dan was born on June 16, 1926 to Jack and Frances North in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He proudly served his country in the United States Navy during World War II. He graduated from Rice Institute with a Mechanical Engineering degree in 1948. Shortly thereafter, Dan married the love of his life, Emma Jane Brigham, on December 29, 1948 in Houston, Texas, and together they started a 43 year journey with Humble Oil & Refining Company/Exxon, which took their family from Houston to several stops in West Texas, as well as Oklahoma, California, and Louisiana. He was a member of Memorial Drive Methodist Church in Houston, the A.S.M.E. and Kappa Sigma Fraternity.
Dan was the consummate family man, supportive of all of his children’s and grandchildren’s endeavors. He was an accomplished engineer for Exxon, traveling the world, and was recognized by the company for his development of a procedure used in oil & gas drilling which resulted in a patent being awarded the company. His interest in engineering was spurred by his hobby in his high school days of designing and building balsa and tissue free flight planes, winning a class national championship in 1946. By chasing those planes on foot, he developed a love for running, placing second in the State of Oklahoma 880 finals as a senior at Tulsa Will Rogers High School, and subsequently lettering in track in college. He also loved his golf, with rounds at Pebble Beach and Cypress Point being among his most cherished memories. There’s no doubt The Golf Channel has lost one of its most avid viewers!
Dan was preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Frances North; his wife, Jane North; and his brother, Bobby North.
Dan is survived by his son, Brig North and wife, Cindy; daughter, Melissa Isaac and husband, Bob, all of Dallas, Texas; granddaughters, Courtney Clayton, also of Dallas, and Katie North of Portland, Oregon; brothers, David North of Silver Lake, Nevada, and Jack North and his wife, Carol, of Fountain Valley, California; as well as numerous other loving family members and friends.
Special thanks for the compassionate care that Dan received from caregivers: Milton; Ruth; Bongi; Maggie; Shirley; Missie; and Nelly.
A graveside service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, January 4, 2019 at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery in Houston, Texas.
The family asks that memorial gifts be made to the Parkinson’s Foundation or to the Engineering Department at Rice University.