James H. Pittinger ’49 of Oklahoma City, Okla., died on October 8, 2010. Born in 1925, James was an aviation cadet in the U.S. Navy and attended Cornell University. After returning from World War II, he transferred to Mines, where he graduated with a professional degree in geological engineering. James then spent 19 years with Shell Oil as a geologist, serving in a variety of roles in Oklahoma, Texas, New York and The Hague. In 1965, he was elected president of Shell Pipeline Corporation, Houston. Three years later he became president and chief executive officer of APCO Oil Corporation in Oklahoma City. He spent four years as an independent oil consultant prior to becoming president of Tonkawa Refining Company in 1977. His last position prior to retirement was president of Cyril Petrochemical Corporation in Cyril, Okla. Honored as a public affairs fellow at the Brookings Institute in Washington, D.C., James served in the U.S. Department of the Interior. He was an active member in numerous petroleum professional groups, most notably serving as director of the American Petroleum Institute, the National Petroleum Refiners Association of America and the Independent Petroleum Association of America. Mines awarded him the Distinguished Achievement Medal in 1968. James was also a member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Oklahoma City. He was predeceased by his former wife, Viola, in 2005, and by his longtime companion, Margaret Ann Cheek, in 2010. James is survived by three sons, James ’72, Robert and Lyndon; daughter, Crystal; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
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I worked for Jim at Oklahoma Refining Company until the refineries closed in 1984. I not only was able to pick Jim’s brain being the wealth of knowledge he had in the business, but learned that integrity,ethics and character that he instilled in me and I hope I have carried it on in business for 30+ yrs. I was still very good friends with Jim and hired him as a consultant on various projects. I miss his wit and humor and know he made an impact not only on my life but many others.