Charles “Charley” Edmund Cusack, Jr., of Houston, Texas, passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 7, 2017 at his home in Houston at the age of 92. Born in Chicago, Illinois on July 29, 1925 to Charles E. Cusack Sr. and Ann Hamilton Cusack, he grew up in Beverly Hills, California and in Cuero, Texas and lived most of his adult life in Houston, Texas. He is preceded in death by his parents and his brothers Mickey and Billy. He leaves behind his four children (and seven loving grandchildren), Charles and wife Lisa, Gregory and wife Gail, Claire McGlashen, and Kathleen “Pud” Cusack and wife Kelly “Tigger”, and the love of his life, his wife, Yvonne Steely and her three children (and four loving grandchildren), Susie Andrau and husband Andy, Lee Steely and wife Katherine, and Clay Steely and wife Rachel; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and many other friends. We also want to recognize the love and compassion given to him by both his longtime assistant, Becky, and his two caregivers, Chevette and Jeanette. 

He was a multi-sport athlete in high school earning several scholarships. He enrolled at Texas A&M at the age of 16, but then enlisted in the US Army Air Forces at the age of 17 (by forging his mother’s signature).  He then became the first commissioned combination Navigator/ Flight Engineer in the USAAF where he flew B-29’s.  After WWII, he attended A&M and then finished his degree in Geology (minor in Engineering) from the University of Houston.  He started work for Gulf Oil in 1950 until J. Paul Getty’s American Independent hired him at the age of 27 to move to Kuwait to be their only field geologist running operations for two drilling rigs and two seismic crews. His adventures also included a two year stint of prospecting for uranium in Yellowknife, Canada. He then continued his oil and gas career as an independent geologist in the wildcatter days drilling wells mostly in South Louisiana, but also in South America, the North Sea, and South Texas.

Charley was passionate about life, friends and family, and loved to tell countless stories about his life experiences.  He enjoyed time in Cascade, Colorado where his extended family spent many vacations together.  He was a humble and proud member of the Tejas Vaqueros for 44 Years. He was named “Outstanding Trail Rider” in 1986 and loved his Vaquero brothers and riding horses. His other passions included dove hunting with his compadres in South Texas, annually celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, traveling the world, hosting the annual ranch 4th of July party (where he won the very competitive horseshoe tournament again at the age of 74), and mostly spending time with his loved ones. He always made the extra effort to be there. His favorite place on earth was his ranch near Cuero, where he spent thousands of weekends with friends and family, riding horses, hunting, working on the ranch and just sitting around telling “true stories”.

Services will be this Friday, September 15, 2017 in Houston at five o’clock in the afternoon, at Bradshaw-Carter Memorial & Funeral Services, 1734 W. Alabama Street. Food and drinks will be served afterwards.

In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made in memory of Charley Cusack to MD Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 4486, Houston, TX 77210-4486 or www.mdanderson.org/gifts

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