Royal Purple Founder Dies

**Sarge** · 03-15-2011, 05:03 PM

http://www.rosewood.cc/obituary.php?id=576

John Blanks Williams, 84, of Humble, Texas, died peacefully on Saturday, March 6, 2010. He was born September 10, 1925 in Dallas, Texas, the son of the late Luke and Lydia Williams and was the youngest of six siblings.
John was raised in Shreveport, LA and attended Fair Park High School. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Louisiana Polytechnic Institute in Ruston, LA (now known as Louisiana Tech University). On February 14, 1946 he married his first wife of 55 years, the late Edith Bott Williams, and in 2002, he married his second wife of six years, the late Juanita Biggs Jolly Williams.
John enlisted in the U.S Navy and attached to the 1st Marine Division, 4th Jasco, where he served in the PTO of WWII as a radio-signal man. He participated and was wounded in the April 1-6, 1945 landing operations of the Battle of Okinawa. He was evacuated to the USC Eldorado and then transferred to the USS Comfort, which was subsequently bombed while he was onboard. John received two purple hearts for his service and sacrifice.
John went on to work as a lubrication engineer, marketing and formulating oils and synthetic lubricants for use in industrial applications for Conoco, City Service, and Tenneco before going into business for himself. He founded and later sold Pacer Petroleum, where he developed the first synthetic motor oil, Eon E-11, which was initially tested by the Houston Police Department.
In the early 1980s John officially retired, but continued to pursue his passion for lubrication by serving as a consultant for numerous companies. In 1986, he was confronted with an issue that simply could not be solved, so he immediately began to work long hours and late nights in the lab to develop a solution. The result of his efforts was a new state-of-the-art lubricant additive technology and his final enterprise, Royal Purple. He served as President of Royal Purple, formerly based in Humble, Texas, and currently located in Porter, Texas, until his retirement in 2002.
John lived in the Houston / Champions / Humble area for most of his last 50 years. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Humble, Texas. He was extremely generous and enjoyed golfing, fishing and entertaining his friends and family.
He is survived by his daughter, Judy Williams Culbertson and husband Lee; daughter-in-law Geri Dupre Williams; granddaughters Amy Culbertson Rounkle and husband Ryan, Denise Culbertson McFann and husband Mark, Tiffany Williams Leigh and husband James; grandson Jay Bryon Williams; Great-Granddaughters Shannon Leigh, Abigail McFann, Ashlyn Rounkle and Emily Rounkle; Great-Grandson Aiden McFann; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wives, Edith Bott Williams and Juanita Biggs Jolly Williams; his parents Luke and Lydia Jones Williams; his son Jody Bryan Williams; his brothers Charlie Williams and Benton Williams; and his sisters Myrtle Witt, Lorraine Boggs and Doris Parker.
A graveside service for family will be held Wednesday, March 10, 2010 at Rosewood Funeral Home. A celebration of life service for friends and family will be held Wednesday, March 10, 2010 at 2 p.m at First United Methodist Church, in Humble, Texas. Visitation will be Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at Rosewood Funeral Home from 5 – 7 p.m. Donations may be sent to the Disabled Veterans of America, the Chapel Fund at First United Methodist Church in Humble, Texas, or to a charity of your choice.