Birth Date: | January 13, 1905 |
Birth Place: | Bronson, Texas, USA |
Death Place: | Houston, Texas, USA |
Occupation: | Business |
Eddy Clark Scurlock (January 13, 1905 - January 17, 1988) was an American oil industry tycoon, entrepreneur, millionaire, and philanthropist, who founded the Scurlock Oil Company; the Eddy Refining Company; and the charitable organization Scurlock Foundation in Houston, Texas.
He was born in Bronson, Texas, the son of Robert William Scurlock (January 5, 1862 - May 9, 1950) and Ella Octavia Clark (September 13, 1877 - February 12, 1970). He had four siblings: Winona Scurlock (1902–1990), Willie Faye Scurlock (1907–1971), Juanita Clark Scurlock (1909–1985),[1] and Werter Chappell Scurlock (1911–1985).[2]
He grew up in the small town of Tenaha. After high school, he went to work at a Standard Oil pipeline construction site as a kitchen assistant. He later moved to Houston, where he bought a gas station.
In 1936, Scurlock borrowed money and formed Scurlock Oil Company. A decade later, he bought a Houston refinery and renamed it Eddy Refining Company.
His wife was Elizabeth Belschner (March 12, 1904 - June 9, 2003), daughter of Andrew Belschner and Martha Quinn. They had one daughter, Laura Lee Scurlock (June 4, 1928 - August 6, 1999).[3] Laura married Jack Blanton, who became a Scurlock Oil and Eddy Refinery executive.
Scurlock established and chartered the charitable Scurlock Foundation in April 1954. He was a chairman of St. Luke's United Methodist Church, an advisory director of Texas Commerce Bank, and a director of Lon Morris College and Texas Medical Center. Scurlock also benefited the Methodist Hospital System and the Institute of Religion in Houston.
In 1982, Scurlock Oil Company was sold to Ashland Oil. Eddy Refining Company and the Scurlock Foundation continue operations.
Eddy C. Scurlock died at age 83 in Houston.[4] [5]