October 2014, Vol. 69, No. 10
Newsline
In Memoriam
Norman A. “Norm” Sirna, Sr., passed away on July 31. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Vivian; children Norman “Alex” (Elizabeth) and Santa; and grandchildren James Jr., Jonathan and Nicholas.
Services were held at Hutchens Mortuary in Florissant, MO. Interment was at Calvary Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the charity of donor’s choice.
Robert McCann Kirkpatrick
Robert McCann Kirkpatrick died on Aug. 14 from complications from Alzheimer’s. He was born May 15, 1928 in Coshocton, Ohio to Tom and Leila Kirkpatrick and was the youngest of four brothers: Tom, Ross, and Bill Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick graduated from Coshocton High School in 1946 and went on to serve in the Navy and then attend Wooster College.
After relocating his family to Texas in the 1950’s, Kirkpatrick began selling heavy construction equipment in the Houston and Dallas. He founded Kirkpatrick O’Donnell Construction Equipment in the 1960’s which would become the largest Link-Belt distributor in the world for more than three decades. His red and white cranes were dubbed “the city bird of Dallas”. His equipment was used to build the Alaskan Pipeline and was featured on the cover of National Geographic to show the low environmental impact of the pipeline. He opened a company in Calgary, Canada and another in Mexico to handle various pipeline needs. Kirkpatrick was elected to the Honorary Pipeliner Hall of Fame in 1999.
Kirkpatrick is survived by his special friend, Goldy Marx; son, Robert and wife Valerie, their sons, Tyler and Ryan (Jessica) and great granddaughter, Jenna; daughter, Marcie Kay and her sons, Kirk and Robert “Link”; and a host of nieces and nephews.
Rod Sutliff
For more than 30 years, RS Technical Services founder and CEO, Rod Sutliff, guided his company and the closed-circuit TV inspection equipment field into a future he could see with surprising clarity. Following a recent history of heart-related issues, Sutliff, 80, passed away on Aug. 28, while taking his daily walk around the RST campus.
As the “RS” in the company name, Sutliff spent more than 30 years pioneering technology in his chosen specialty, leading his firm to become known as “a company of firsts.” Under his leadership, the firm was the first to manufacture a mainline camera with internal lights, a true pan-and-tilt camera with tracking lights, and the first single-conductor panomorphic camera system, among many other pioneering products.
Perhaps best known for his kind, friendly demeanor, Sutliff was famous for championing those less fortunate, having variously provided help for people he knew were down on their luck. He has over the years helped many individuals get their lives back together by providing assistance with housing, money and/or employment.
RST will now be led by an executive family quorum focused on keeping Sutliff’s vision alive. “We have been trained our entire lives to think as entrepreneurs,” states Tricia McCarten, his eldest daughter and previous president of RST. Michael, Rod’s second son, will monitor family involvement and will help guide future decision making. Juan Torres will continue as operations manager managing daily operations.
During his lifetime, Sutliff was credited with several innovations in many industries. A number of his accomplishments and innovations include several NASA projects while working for Jet Propulsion Laboratories (JPL), teaching electronics at Pasadena City College and starting several businesses including Willtronix in Los Angeles, Marin Tek/Polycold in Marin County and RS Technical Services in the North Bay.
RST and the family asks that anyone who would like to do something to commemorate Sutliff can make a donation to COTS, Petaluma Kitchen, Hospice of Petaluma or your favorite charity.
Lloyd Bertram Ridings, Jr., 78, expired on Aug. 30, in Plano, TX.
Ridings worked for H.C. Price Co. and Price Gregory for 24 years from April 1986 through April 2010 serving as vice president and general manager of Conam Construction Co. on fiber optic cable projects in the lower 48 states and later as equipment manager in Dallas, TX. Over his career, pipeline work took Ridings to Iraq, Thailand, Saudi Arabia and The Republic of the Sudan.
He is survived by his wife, Pat, and two sons, Bert (Avneet) and John.
Beverly Irene Wren
Beverly Irene Wren passed away peacefully at the age of 89 on Sept. 3. She was the former chairwoman of Pipeline Inspection Co. Ltd.
Wren and her husband, George Wren, moved their Pipeline Inspection Company Inc. to Houston in 1968. In addition to her active participation in the pipeline industry, Wren also established two restaurants and two nightclubs in Houston between 1972 and 1978.
Throughout her life, Wren was an active participant and benefactor of numerous charities in Houston plus a long-time supporter of Citizens for Animal Protection. She was a boating enthusiast owning several yachts and cruised around the world.
Wren is survived by her sons Ronald Miller, Gregory Miller and Gary Miller and wife Becky, as well as her stepsons George Wren III, Fred Wren, Michael Wren and William Wren along with numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, George B. Wren II and daughter, Jennifer Sue Hedeen.
Donation can be made Citizens for Animal Protection (donatenow.networkforgood.org/CitizensforAnimalProtection) or to Emmanuel Episcopal Church (www.emmanuel-houston.org).
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