Marvin A. Smith honored by Texas Alliance of Energy Producers
AN OIL INDUSTRY LEGEND

photo left to right) Mickey Smith, Sanny Sue Holland and Denny Smith, sons and daughter of the late Marvin Smith accepted the award for their father at the Legends Luncheon yesterday in Tyler.

The East Texas Legends Luncheon yesterday honored Marvin A. Smith and Richard Gammon, two men who devoted themselves to the oil and gas industry.

Master of Ceremony John Carr introduced friends and family who spoke of the lifelong accomplishments each of these two men, and talked about their personal lives as well.

Smith was born on April 9, 1911 in Bulcher and is the son of Marvin and Louvina Dennis Smith. After getting married in 1933 to Constance Leona Wilson, Smith was employed by the Premier Refinery in Fort Worth. But, due to the depression, Smith and his family moved to the East Texas oil field where there was work.

Smith went to work first for Star Grocery. He soon became a roughneck and when he became the lease operator of nine wells, they took up residence on the lease in 1936 and lived there until they moved to Kilgore in 1962.

In 1939, Smith started the Marvin A. Smith Company which he owned until 1993. The company's purchase of oil and gas leases and land led to the formation of Four-S Oil Company, MAS Operators, Smith Partners and MSC Property Management and, eventually, the leasing of land for a Type-1 municipal waste site which serves Gregg and surrounding counties.

Marvin A. Smith passed away in May of 1995 and his wife, Constance, passed away in April of 2003.

The Smiths had three children, Denny, Mickey and Sanny Sue, who gave them seven grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

Denny, Mickey and Sanny Sue were on hand at the luncheon to accept the award for Marvin.

Commissioner Bob Barbee was among the speakers who talked about Smith and what he meant to the oil and gas industry.

The Texas Alliance of Energy Producers sponsors the event annually. The luncheon was held at Hollytree Country Club in Tyler.