Athletics involvement plays a vital role in many people’s lives, and this was especially true for The University of Tulsa alumnus Earl E. Morris (BS ’59, MS ’63). Morris was a highly successful petroleum engineer who pitched for TU’s baseball team and played semi-professional baseball in Canada. Morris was a well-rounded individual who greatly enjoyed his sport, but he never forgot the importance of academic achievement and the impact it has on one’s ability to build a rewarding and productive career after college.
Earl Edward Morris was born in November of 1935 in Kaw City, Oklahoma. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from TU in petroleum engineering. Along the way, he met his future wife, Ann Sharon Lamkin, and the two enjoyed a partnership in marriage for 39 years. Ann, born in 1938 in Ft. Worth, Texas, was raised in Tulsa. She graduated from Will Rogers High School before attending and graduating from Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth. Earl and Ann married in 1961, and they settled in Houston, Texas, where they raised their daughters, Elizabeth and Stephanie.
Earl was an engineer and a senior executive for Amoco for twenty years. He also worked for The Williams Companies for five years. At the time of his passing, Earl ran three family-owned businesses based in the Houston area. These included Owl Creek Production Company, Inc., Owl Creek Energy, Inc., and the Lamkin Land & Cattle Company, LLC. Earl also was active as a consultant and board member for JMI Energy, Inc. Earl and Ann were longtime members of John Wesley United Methodist Church, and they enjoyed golfing at Champions Golf Club.
Earl, who was described as a man of integrity and generosity, passed away in April of 2000. Ann, who was described as gracious, loving, and gentle, died in August of 2021.
This highly regarded couple knew well the academic pressures and the time constraints experienced by young student-athletes. They thoughtfully established an endowment fund at TU in 2001, the Owl Creek Investments/Earl Morris Endowment Fund for Athletic Academic Program, to benefit those student-athletes who might need extra support in the form of tutoring and other specialized academic attention. The Morris family’s contribution continues to assist student-athletes seeking to follow Earl’s example of excelling in both athletics and scholastic achievement.
