Charles Priddy put family, Midland first, friends say

Published 1:29 pm, Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Midlander Charles Priddy, a member of America’s “Greatest Generation” and who helped build post-war Midland, was an inspiration and a devoted family man.

“Mr. Priddy was an extraordinary leader who had a deep and abiding love for this community,” said Grant Billingsley, executive director of the Scharbauer Foundation. “He used his energy and his vision to get the best out of others, too. He was so full of energy and enthusiasm for this community. He was a doer, absolutely an achiever for our community.”

Priddy died Saturday -- a week shy of his 90th birthday.

“He was a fine man (who had) a very good heart,” said former mayor Edwin Magruder, 91. “He was just a top-notch individual, really a good citizen of Midland.”

For more than 20 years, Priddy took leave of his successful civic and business career and enterprises to care for his ailing wife, Beth. She died earlier this year at age 91.

“He will have an extra star in his crown for all the care he gave his wife,” said Yvonne Scarbrough who was Priddy’s secretary for 51 years.

“Mr. Priddy was a very kind and generous person who always was helping others,” said Scarbrough, 80.

Priddy, who earned a mechanical engineering degree in the U.S. Navy’s wartime V-12 program at the University of Texas and later a master’s of business administration at Harvard University Business School, settled in Midland when the war ended. He founded Magnatex Industries, a holding company active in manufacturing, distribution and petroleum.

Priddy was active in Midland’s civic and community affairs since mid-century, when he signed on as a petroleum engineer for Humble Oil (Exxon). He became an independent oil operator in 1952 and expanded from there.

All the while, he figured in the formation of the Midland YMCA in the 1950s, founded the Midland Area Foundation, was named Midland Jaycees’ Outstanding Young Man of Midland, served as United Way campaign chairman, Midland Chamber of Commerce president and in other facets of the community, including political roles and in the Presbyterian church.

From his vantage, Joe O’Neill said Priddy was a “very intelligent businessman combined with a wonderful sense of community, a dear friend.”

Teacher Deborah Bakke said her family and her late parents, Edwin and Betsy Dwyer, were “dear friends” of the Priddy family. Priddy was “bigger than life,” blessed with a “big and generous heart. He did not seek publicity (for his accomplishments). He just did it.”

Priddy’s influence extended to Midland College, the University of Texas of the Permian Basin, Midland Memorial Hospital, Museum of the Southwest, among others.

“He was an exceptional person, no question about it, so remarkable, taking care of his wife,” said Ernest Angelo, 81, a petroleum engineer and mayor in the 1970s.

Priddy was a “big help” in city and community projects, Angelo said.

“Above all of that, he was an extraordinary individual ... one of my dearest friends. I don’t know of anybody outside of my family that meant more to me than Charles Priddy,” Angelo said. “I’ve got a lot of great memories.”

By 1952, Priddy was in the forefront in the political “Republication Revolution” in Texas.

“He was all for Midland, a very big supporter of Midland and West Texas,” said state Rep. Tom Craddick, 72. “(Priddy was) involved with anything positive having to do with Midland.”

Priddy nurtured “a high level of integrity, the highest integrity,” Craddick said. “He always had a project going, something going all the time, and was one of the early people that brought diversified industry to Midland.”

Judge Barbara Culver, who served as Midland County judge, District Court judge and Texas Supreme Court justice, said Priddy was a “full-time civic-minded citizen. He put his family and his city above everything else.”

Rosalind Redfern Grover, champion fundraiser, said Priddy “felt a real obligation to make Midland better. (He was) behind a lot things in this community and he certainly was the (premier) fundraiser in his time.

“When I started fundraising, people would call me ‘Charlie Priddy in a skirt,’” Grover said.