- journal_title：AAPG Bulletin
- Contributor：Ted L. Bear ; Peter H. Gardett
- Publisher：American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
- Date：1997-
- Format：text/html
- Language：en
- journal_abbrev：AAPG Bulletin
- issn：0149-1423
- volume：81
- issue：1
- firstpage：170
- section：Articles
With the passing of John S. Loofbourow, his family, many friends, and industry colleagues were shocked by his unexpected death from cancer. He died at his home in Glendale. John was born October 27, 1916, in El Centro, California. He was very proud to be a native of this state and to have been educated in California, most particularly, to have graduated and earned a master's degree in geology from the University of California at Los Angeles. His sister Virginia was born in 1919, after which time the family moved to Los Angeles. His second sister Marjorie now lives in Santa Ana, California. John attended public schools in Los Angeles and graduated from Fairfax High School in 1934. While a student at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), John undertook and completed a master's thesis that covered an area of the Ventura Basin. After graduating and earning a masters degree at UCLA, he was employed by Barnsdall Oil Company during 1941 and 1942. During the years 1943 and 1944 he was employed as a geologist on the Strategic War Minerals program, non-metals and petroleum in the U.S. Department of the Interior Geological Survey. While he was working in the State of Oregon, John met Billie Bennett from Portland. They were married June 20, 1943. John is survived by his wife, Billie; two daughters, Janet and Betty; and four grandchildren, David, Debbie, Diane, and John. In 1944, John returned to the oil industry and was employed by Sunray Oil Company where he worked as a subsurface geologist in the Castaic area and in 1950 became chief geologist, California Division, a position he held until 1954. This background prepared him well for the next stage in his career; this was in Los Angeles with Richfield and later Atlantic Richfield during 1954 to 1969. While there, John worked closely with Mason Hill as exploration coordinator and later as chief geologist of the International Producing Department of this company. In 1969 John left ARCO to accept employment with Westates Petroleum as senior petroleum geologist, domestic and foreign, and in 1971 was promoted to chief geologist and later was named a vice president and a member of the board of directors for this company. In 1975, at age 59, John cofounded Mariposa Petroleum Company, an exploration and geological consulting firm located in Pasadena, California. Under John's direction this company was successful in discovering gas field extensions related to faulting in the Sacramento Valley. John was a contributor to, and a beneficiary of, AAPG. He was a regular attendee at meetings, conventions, and field trips. In 1950 he served as editor of the Pacific Section newsletter. During 1952 and 1953, he was a district representative. He participated in discussions at and after the meetings, and his master's thesis was published. This was an excellent surface mapping of the area east from the town of Ventura and north to include the Sulphur Mountain anticline. He also published an outstanding subsurface interpretation of the Newhall Potrero oil field, in the 1952 AAPG, SEPM, and SEG guidebook on that area. John was a charter member of the Los Angeles Petroleum Club and thoroughly enjoyed domino games there during the lunch hours. He entered tournaments and won his share of them. John was a 50-year member of AAPG and very proud of this; he was also a member of the Geological Society of America and was a registered geologist by the State of California. The people and all activities of AAPG, especially the Pacific Section, were very important to John, and he participated with enthusiasm. He will be greatly missed by the many geologists who have known, admired, and enjoyed his consideration and sincere friendship during the past 50 years and more. Billie, his wife; their two daughters, Janet and Betty; and four grandchildren can be, and are, justifiably proud of the life and accomplishments of John Loofbourow, geologist. John will be remembered by all who knew him for his high integrity, his high moral character, and for his dedication to his family and to his profession.