Louis A. Beecherl Jr., former chair of The University of Texas at Austin Engineering Advisory Board (1985) and former member and two-time chairman of The University of Texas System Board of Regents, passed away Tuesday, July 5. He was 85 years old.
Louis A. Beecherl Jr.
Beecherl was instrumental in helping develop the Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Building (CPE) at the university. He established several endowments at the Cockrell School and was the first individual to offer funding support for the world-class Biomedical Engineering Building that opened in 2008. Beecherl believed in higher education. He not only gave generously of his time and funding resources to the university and UT System, he also supported UT Dallas in multiple ways.
"The University of Texas greatly benefitted from Louis Beecherl Jr.'s leadership, wisdom and generosity. Of all of Louis' many accomplishments, he took the most pride in his family. Louis and his wife of 61 years, Julie, have eight children, 35 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. More than a dozen of them have attended UT. We are honored that his son, Louis Beecherl III, now serves on the Engineering Advisory Board. The Beecherl family has truly made an incredible mark on UT and it all started with Louis Beecherl Jr.," said Cockrell School Dean Gregory L. Fenves in a note to the Engineering Advisory Board.
Appointed to a six-year term on the UT System Board of Regents by Gov. William P. Clements in 1987, Beecherl was elected chairman of the board in March 1989 and re-elected chairman in 1991. As a member of the board, Beecherl dedicated his time and talent to formalizing the Capital Improvement Program, enhancing the Management Information System to facilitate decision-making, encouraging efficiency and economy in the system's operations and advocating the funding which higher education needed to meet the technological developments of the future.
Beecherl was born Feb. 10, 1926, in Dallas and graduated from Tulane University and The University of Texas at Austin with bachelor of science degrees after his service in the U.S. Navy in World War II. He was chair and chief executive officer of Texas Oil & Gas Corp. from 1957 to 1977 and served as chairman of the Texas Water Development Board of the Department of Water Resources from 1980 to 1986. Beecherl was also a member of the Energy Resources Committee of the Interstate Oil Compact Commission.
A memorial service was held Friday, July 8 in Dallas. Letters and condolences may be sent to:
Beecherl Companies
5950 Cedar Springs Rd., Suite 200
Dallas, Texas 75235
