M.E. Trostle

Maurice Eugene "Shorty" Trostle passed away Friday, December 26, 2008 at his home. Funeral services will be held Monday, Dec. 29 at 2 p.m. at St. Paul''s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 305 W. Third, with Pastors Lawrence Bade and Phillip Fenton officiating. Interment will follow at Prairie Lea Cemetery in Brenham. The family will receive visitors from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 28, at Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main St, Brenham. Shorty was born on Nov. 2, 1923 in Mediapolis, Iowa, the son of William and Ethel Trostle. After graduation from Mediapolis High School, he attended college in Burlington, IA, lettering in basketball. In 1944, he joined Geophysical Service Inc. GSI, the forerunner of Texas Instruments, Inc. He traveled over much of North America, learning the geophysical business. In Dec. 1946, he married Helen Giese in Brenham. After stints in California, Colorado, Montana and Mexico, they moved to Midland where he became the manager of the West Texas/Oklahoma area for Texas Instruments. In 1973, a U.S. patent was issued to him assigned to Texas Instruments for 3-Dimensional common depth point techniques. He and two of his colleagues at GSI/TI are credited for the development of 3-dimensional seismic technology which is still used today to discover oil and gas all over the world. He took an early retirement in 1978 due to his wife''s battle with cancer. She preceded him in death in 1983. In 1985, he married Lois Winkelmann. Shortly thereafter, he became president and chief executive officer of Fairfield Industries, Inc. for three years. This would be his last professional position. Among his many honors, Shorty most treasured his 1996 Energy Award from the oil and gas industry in Midland and his induction into the Offshore Energy Center Hall of Fame in 2005 for his part in the first marine 3-D survey as well as being named "Man of the Year" in Washington County in 1998 by the Washington County Chamber of Commerce. A dedicated community servant, he was a founding board member of Goodfellows and Bread Partners, a Little League volunteer, former chairman of City Planning and Zoning and the Board of Adjustments and Appeals, vice president of the Brenham Country Club, member of the Brenham Rotary Club and was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow. He was active in First United Methodist Church of Brenham and later as a member of St. Paul''s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Brenham. Besides his parents and his first wife, he was preceded in death by his brother Thomas Dale Trostle and sister-in-law Jeanette, sister Ethel Elaine Nelson and brother-in-law Paul Robert, and grand-daughter Carole Virginia Miller. Survivors include his wife Lois; daughters, Linda Miller and husband, Don of Gruene; Nancy Barnett and husband Joel of Lewisville; son John Trostle and wife Tricia of Brenham; step-son Rob Winkelmann and wife Sherrie; step-daughters Robin Cook and husband Lee; Lori Hasskarl and husband John; Lois Kolkhorst and husband Jim all of Brenham; grandchildren, Donnie Miller and wife Heidi; Tommy Miller and wife Amanda; Chrissie Miller; Donna Foster and husband Mark; Billy Barnett and wife Ashley; Andrew and Ally Trostle; step-grandchildren, Courtney Cook Holm and husband Nelson; Caroline and Cathleen Cook; Jill Winkelmann Hyatt and husband Josh; Jodi and Jan Winkelmann; Lois Kate and Jake Kolkhorst; five great-grandchildren, and numerous nephews and nieces. Serving as pall bearers are Don Aken, Billy Barnett, Mike Farley, Mark Lawrence, Donnie and Tommy Miller, Dr. Clifford Ray, Kim Trostle and Steve Trostle. Serving as honorary pallbearers are Jack Appel, Ed Duckworth, Ed Kruse, Paul LaRoche, Leroy Loesch, A.C. Miller, Gordon Parker, Luther Utesch and Bobby Wilson. Memorials may be made to Goodfellows, P.O. Box 11, Brenham, TX 77834; Bread Partners, P.0. Box 1202, Brenham, TX 77833; St. Paul''s Christian Day School, 305 W. Third, Brenham, TX 77833; or as Shorty would do, any charity. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel.