Hugh Lochridge

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS -- Hugh Oscar Lochridge, 87, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013, surrounded by his family.

Memorial service: 10 a.m. Saturday at North Pointe Baptist Church, 147 E. Hurst Blvd., Hurst. Interment: 3 p.m. in Highland Cemetery, Iowa Park. Visitation: 9 a.m. Saturday in the church parlor.

Memorials: Consideration of gifts in Oscar's memory may be made to North Pointe Baptist Church or the Alzheimer's Association, 2630 West Freeway, Suite 100, Fort Worth, Texas 76102.

Oscar was born Sept. 20, 1925, in Iowa Park to Oscar E. and Lottie Denny Lochridge. He graduated from Iowa Park High School in 1942 and cherished his classmate friends through their 60th reunion. He was Oscar to all his friends, Hugh to his fellow workers later in his career and "Bub" to all his family. Even with a lifelong hearing problem, he graduated from Texas Tech (then Texas Technological College) in 1949 with a degree in petroleum engineering-geology. He returned in August of that year to receive his second engineering degree in geophysics.

Oscar spent three years working in the oil industry in Alberta, Canada, and Montana. He married Corrie Laverne Stewart of Burkburnet. After months in Montana, far away from home, they decided to make the long move back to Texas to be near family and friends. They settled in Westworth Village where Oscar served on the City Council and as mayor pro tem. In 1961, the family moved to North Richland Hills, where they raised their two sons. Oscar spent his career working as safety engineer for Millers and Employers Insurance companies, retiring in 1983 from the Home Insurance Co. of New York, responsible for all the Texas division.

After the death of his first wife following a lengthy illness, he married Evalyn Nichols Wood. They traveled extensively, visiting all 254 Texas counties, capitals of 50 states and numerous countries.

Oscar loved history and the lore of Route 66. He served on the Tarrant County Historical Commission for many years and received an award for Outstanding Volunteer of the Year from the Texas Historical Commission in 1995. He was a life member of the Lok-Rig Family Association and served as president for four years. He had a passion for researching his family history and meeting Lochridges from all over the country, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, including eight different spellings. He was a member of the Route 66 Federation and the Texas Tech Alumni Association, where he was presented the Outstanding Engineering Alumna award in 1994. He was a member of North Richland Hills Baptist Church for almost 40 years where he served on the deacon council. He had been a member of North Pointe Baptist Church since 2000.

Oscar was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Corrie; son, Gary and his wife, Brenda; and infant grandson, Thomas.

Survivors: Wife, Evalyn; son, Grant Lochridge and wife, Gabriella; Mark Wood and wife, Lisa; Donna Wood; grandchildren, Karen Reddick (Patrick), Kathryn Aldas (Matt), Allen Lochridge (Mai), Angelina Lochridge, James Lochridge (Alyssa), Corrie Loftin (Jeff), Ashley Dane (Randy), Alden Johnson (Scott), Meagan Eason; 14 great-grandchildren; sister, Margie McDonald; and numerous other relatives and friends.