Richard R. Gantt

Gantt, Richard Richard R. Gantt died at home on Thursday, December 8, 2011. He was born in Little Rock, Arkansas on May 2, 1913 to Doris Rayburn Avery. In 1934 after having obtained a degree in physics from Texas AandM University, he joined Humble Oils Exploration Division. After four years of exploration work in Texas and Louisiana, he was transferred to Venezuela and for three years mapped potential oil fields along the Orinoco River and in eastern Venezuela. Lt. Col Gantt saw active duty in World War II at Kelly Field, currently Kelly AFB in San Antonio, Texas and Saipan in the Pacific. Following the war and after five years employment with Magnolia Petroleum's development laboratory in Dallas, he was again called to active military duty with the Air Force during the Korean War. In 1954 Lt. Col. Gantt obtained an MBA from the University of Chicago. After retiring from the military as Lt. Col. in 1966 he founded a metal casting foundry-Western Cast in Albuquerque, NM. Selling his interest in 1974 he devoted his spare time to technical writing. Richard is survived by his wife, Mary Grace, of the family home. Other survivors include a niece, Lucie Taylor and her husband Kent Taylor of Austin Texas. Two nephews, Richard W. Wolf of San Antonio, Texas and Thomas A. Wolf Jr. of Matthews, NC. Five step children, Brian F. Blank of Placitas, NM. Victoria Louise Ebell, of Washington D.C., James S. Blank of Albuquerque, NM., Susan Elizabeth Page of Evergreen, CO., and Gretchen Blank of Belen, NM. He is predeceased by his sister, Jean Gantt Wolf and former spouse Janie Lent Gantt also a sister-in-law, Dora F. Hardy of Placitas, NM. At Mr. Gantt's request there will no memorial service at the funeral home. A Visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 14, 2011 from 5:00pm to7:00pm in the Coal State room at the Coal Chapel, 1100 Coal Ave SE. Albuquerque. A graveside service will be held at the National Cemetery at Santa Fe with full military honors on Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 10:30 am. Richard's care has been entrusted to:
Daniels Family Funeral Services
1100 Coal Ave SE
Albuquerque, NM, 87106
505-842-8800