NOGS (New Orleans Geological Society) Newsletter, 2008, Volume 49, Number 5

Maurice Gordon "Doc" Frey, who died at age 95 in New Orleans on September 12, 2008, had a truly remarkable career. Born in Cincinnati, he earned his bachelors and masters degrees at the University of Cincinnati, and his PhD at the University of Minnesota. He joined Chevron (Standard Oil of California) in 1939, and was in on the ground floor of Saudi Arabian exploration and discovery, doing gravity and seismic work there until World War II forced Chevron to return him to the States. Since then, with Chevron, he has been in almost all of Chevron's (then, The California Company's) major locations: Denver, Casper, San Francisco, and New Orleans. But, the oil industry was not everything. In 1948 he left Chevron, in San Francisco, to teach for four years at his old alma mater, the University of Cincinnati. In 1952 he returned to Chevron, first in Denver, and then at his final and longest lasting location, New Orleans. In New Orleans he was Chief Geologist for all of Chevron's operations out of that office, which then included not only Offshore and South Louisiana, but also the Mississippi - North Louisiana Salt Basin, plus the Appalachians, Michigan, the Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida Gulf Coasts, and peninsular Florida. In New Orleans his warmth and friendliness made him the mentor of many young geologists, including the writers of this article. Few in management were as open, approachable, and helpful. His abilities and energy were not confined to Chevron. Always active in the New Orleans Geological Society, he was its President in 1969-70. In 1976, Doc Frey served as General Chairman for the AAPG-SEPM convention hosted by NOGS. His friendliness and interest in others led him back into teaching again in 1976, this time at the University of New Orleans. There he taught geology for 17 years until his retirement in 1993. Those 17 years included five summers teaching at UNO's extension school in Innsbruck, Austria. As he did at Chevron, he won the affection of his UNO students and faculty colleagues. His life was not all geology and teaching. He married his life-long companion, Marjorie Wells Frey, of Colfax, Louisiana, in 1945. They had two daughters, Ellen Frey Anderson, now deceased, and Beverly Frey Strange. Ellen and Beverly have borne them five grandchildren, and, to date, seven great grandchildren. "Doc" left his mark on many who were fortunate to have known him. He is admired, and he is missed.

Duncan Goldthwaite

Bob Branson