Burl Mcgarrahan

Burl Eugene McGarrahan, age 91, died the evening of August 22, 2014 in his home in Bastrop Texas surrounded by his family. He was born July 3, 1923 near Many, Louisiana in Sabine Parish in the 4th Ward, the second of two sons, to Eddie E. and Lela Stella Byrd McGarrahan. He graduated from Hull-Daisetta High School in Daisetta, Texas when he was 16, and received a degree in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University in 1949. He married his wife of 67 years, Betty Joyce Outlaw McGarrahan, on December 22, 1946.

Burl spent most of his early life in Daisetta, Texas where he lettered in softball, track, tennis, basketball, and football in high school. One of his fondest memories was being a member of the Daisetta-Hull High School football team, which won 43 consecutive games without a loss or tie. He left home when he was 17 to go to California where he found a job at an aircraft company that needed a third baseman on their baseball team.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps Cadet Training Program during World War II. He spent most of his service during the war as a pilot instrument instructor. He left the service as a Commander on a B29. Most of his working career was in the field of safety. He worked at the Texas Employers Insurance Association in Abilene, Texas; for the University of California Los Alamos Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico; at the Phillips Petroleum Company in McGregor, Texas; and for over 23 years at the Mead Paper Company, headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, where he was Director of Safety and Workers Compensation when he retired in 1982. Some of his many professional accomplishments included service on the National Safety Council Board of Directors (73-80), service as one of 14 members on the Inter-Industry Noise Study Steering Committee which was formed after the OSHA Act in the early 1970s, and membership in Who's Who in Engineering. Following his departure from Mead, he formed his own safety company, McGarrahan & Co.

Upon receiving the news of expecting their first grandchild, Burl and Betty returned to Texas from Ohio in 1984, to be closer to family. For the next several years, most weekends were spent with their grandsons and family. By 1989, Burl and Betty had fully retired and spent more time playing golf and bridge with their friends. He had passionate opinions, but could be a patient and persuasive negotiator. He hated to call a repairman, and fixed everything from watches to lawn mowers to automobiles himself. He was a good friend to all his neighbors and a good storyteller. But most of all, Burl was a devoted husband.

Burl is survived by the love of his life, his wife, Betty; his brother, E.C. (Mary Eleanor) McGarrahan, of Pasadena, Texas; his daughters, Gayle McGarrahan, of Cincinnati, Ohio and Betty Lynn McGarrahan of Austin, Texas; and by his sons, Ed (Letesia) McGarrahan, of Austin, Texas; John Patrick McGarrahan, also of Austin; and James (Carol) McGarrahan of Cary, North Carolina. He is also survived by five grandsons, Ian (Francine), Miles, Drew, and Cole McGarrahan of Austin, Texas and John McGarrahan of Cary, North Carolina and one great-granddaughter, Emery Belle McGarrahan of Austin, Texas.

A memorial for Burl E. McGarrahan will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2014 from 5 to 7pm.

Special thanks to Jamie Hanna Thompson for her loving care of Burl and Betty over the past two years, and to her family Chris and Charissa for their help and support. Special thanks also to Jamie's, Grandmother Hanna and Jamie's mom, Pam Tharp and to Erika Garza (Beto Rodriguez) for helping to take care of Burl and Betty. Thanks to RNs Johnnie, Laura, Denise and Cyndie and to aide Yvonne, all with Standard Hospice for all your help and advice. Thanks to all our friends, especially, Sam Davila, Joann Fries, Patty Cannon and to his grandsons (Ian, Miles, Drew and Cole) for all your help during the last two years.