Joseph Francke Rumsey III

Joseph Francke Rumsey III died Friday, Aug. 13, 2010, following a brief illness. Born July 13, 1920, to Mary Baker and Joseph Francke Rumsey Jr. in Oklahoma City, Okla., Joe grew up in Oklahoma City before attending the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Conn., and receiving his B.S. in economics from The University of California Berkley in 1944. After graduation he worked as a petroleum scout for British Petroleum in Billings, Mont., before returning to Oklahoma City to run the family businesses in 1946. He was president of the Terminal Land Company from 1946 until his death and founder and chairman of the board of Zero Mountain, Inc., an Arkansas based Corporation. He served as vice president of Royalty Corp of America, Tulsa, Okla., from 1948 until 1953, vice president of Big "D" Chemical Co. from 1951 – 1968 and president of Rumsey Ranch Co. from 1946 until 2008. He was a member of the Independent Petroleum Producers of America for over 60 years and was an inventor holding eight patents in various industrial areas. He also had a keen interest in the study of cycles as well as meteorology. He established the Virginia Briscoe and Nona Jean Hulsey Rumsey Endowed Chair for Pulmonary Research at the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine. The stockholders and employees of Zero Mountain Inc., created the Joseph Francke Rumsey III Endowment Scholarship at the University of Arkansas School of Agriculture in his honor. Joseph served on the boards of the Oklahoma City Council of Public Affairs, the Oklahoma University Medical Research Foundation, Friends of the Library and established the Mary Baker Rumsey Memorial Garden for the Oklahoma City Junior League. He was a supporter of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum where he helped establish the Nona Jean Hulsey Rumsey Learning Center. His passion for life and curiosity in all things gave him an extraordinary perspective on business. His personal ethics and sense of humor were without equal. He was preceded in death by his wives, Virginia Briscoe Rumsey and Nona Jean Hulsey Rumsey; as well as a son, Joseph F. Rumsey IV; and a brother, Charles Baker Rumsey. He is survived by his longtime friend and companion, Janelle Everest; a daughter, Mary and husband, Peter Foley of Edina, Minn.; a son, Mark and wife, Victoria of Fort Smith, Ark.; step-son Albert Upsher, Jackson Hole, Wyo.; grandchildren, Joseph Rumsey of Fayetteville, Ark., Sarah Rumsey of Houston, Texas, Meghan, Mathew, Molly and Christopher Foley of Edina, Minn. Joe Rumsey was a gentleman in the truest sense of the word. He will always be remembered for his personal ethics and his sense of humor. Private services were held at All Souls Episcopal Church. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum or University of Oklahoma Medical Foundation. The family wishes to express their thanks to Susan and Helen for their loving care and to Mercy Hospice.