R. Cape

R. Randall (Randy) Cape died October 3, 2011 at home, following a courageous ten-year battle with cancer. He was 75. His indomitable spirit and unwavering optimism were lifelong traits that sustained him during his illness, matched only by his love for his wife and family as sources of his strength and perseverance. He was an inspiration to friends, business associates, and family across four generations. Randy Cape was born in Okemah, OK on September 15, 1936 and was raised in Bristow, OK. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a B.S. in Geology in 1958, and accepted a job with the Pure Oil Company. Pure assigned Randy to a field office in Tyler, TX in 1959, and there he kindled a life-long love of the oil business in East Texas. Randy worked for Ralph Spence in Tyler from 1962-68 as a geologist, dealmaker, and drilling / well-completions manager, and then ventured out on his own to form Cape Drilling Company in 1969. At its peak, his contract drilling business employed 130 persons, and truly was a family affair. Not only did Randy’s own children work summers, holidays, and weekends in the business, he was a fatherly figure to several families of “roughneck” brothers from Anderson and Leon counties who worked for the company. In the beginning, Randy drove one of the trucks that moved his three drilling rigs from location to location. He was a frequent presence on the rig floor, but respected and trusted the tool pushers and drillers to do their jobs without his stepping in to offer direction. Yet, when needed, he was a calming source of know-how. He even earned a “hard-knocks” certificate of honor from the legendary Red Adair for successfully extinguishing a fire and blow out on one of his rigs before Red arrived to take on the task. As much as Randy delighted in his work as an oilman and small business owner, his longstanding involvement in chorale singing brought him boundless joy. He was an accomplished bass soloist and erstwhile member of several choirs and men’s groups in Tyler, Longview, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, and Jupiter, FL. He performed in community and church theatre productions, in lead roles such as Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof” and Captain George Brackett in “South Pacific”. He was a mentor to younger choir members and a friendly source of encouragement to his peers. Always the optimist; always cheerful, Randy was an inspiration to countless members of his church choirs and congregations. Randy put down deep roots in East Texas. He took an interest in the history of Tyler and contributed time and effort in civic activities. In 1974, he devised a project to move the historic Frank and Sarah Bell home that was standing neglected in downtown Tyler to a rural location in Flint, and to fully restore it. The home was recognized as a Texas Historic Landmark in 1978. An avid, albeit erratic golfer, Randy hit the pinnacle of his golfing “career” by making a hole-in-one at Eaglewood Golf Club in Hobe Sound, FL in the very last round of golf he played. Randy is survived by his wife Janie; two sisters Billie Jean Cape of Emerald Bay, Mary Sue Tiernan and husband Ron of Tulsa, OK; three sons Rick Cape and wife Chris of Houston, David Cape and wife Shirley of Austin, Michael Cape and wife Shannon of Bluff Dale; one daughter Catherine Cape of Atlanta, GA; step-daughters Lisa Phillips of Palm Beach Gardens, FL, Joy Soto and husband Edwin of Chandler, Candy Conant and husband Randy of Bullard; and, nine grandchildren Cameron Cape, Kendall Harvey, Connie Cape, Anne Cape, Jennifer Hotaling, Tiffany Chinn, Austin Conant, Kristin Conant, Connor Conant. Pallbearers will be sons / sons-in-law Rick Cape, David Cape, Michael Cape, Randy Conant, Edwin Soto, and longtime Longview friend Max Melton. Honorary pallbearers will be The Belayers Sunday School Class of First Baptist Church Bullard. Services will be conducted at First Baptist Church Bullard on Friday October 7, 2011 at 11:00, under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home with a graveside ceremony immediately afterward at Cathedral in the Pines, followed by a luncheon at First Baptist Church Bullard. The family will receive friends Thursday evening 6:00 – 8:00 at Stewart Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Hwy in Tyler. The family requests that memorial donations be made to The First Baptist Church Bullard Building Fund, 1428 S. Houston St., Bullard, TX 75757; or, American Cancer Society – Tyler, 1301 S. Broadway Ave., Tyler, TX 75701

R. Cape

September 15, 1936 - October 3, 2011