Texas Oil & Gas Titan and Philanthropist C.C. Winn Passes Away in Corpus Christi
C.C. “CHARLIE” WINN, died peacefully at his home in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Friday, February 20, 2015.
Born June 18, 1928, in Long Beach, California, to a Texas family that was drawn back home by the East Texas oil boom, Charles Coleman Winn graduated from William Adams High School in Alice, Texas, in 1945. He attended Texas A&I University at Kingsville and the University of Texas, in Austin. The most important decision Charlie ever made, he did so at age six, when he dedicated himself to the Lord, Jesus Christ, by profession of faith at First Baptist Church of Alice, Texas. He rededicated his life many times after that. On July 1, 1955, he married Patsy H. Brown. “It was love at first sight.” As his business grew and prospered so did their family consisting of two daughters and three sons.
“The Man behind the Legend: For all his success in business, it’s quite amazing how rarely it’s mentioned in the context of who Charlie Winn was as a man.” “Anybody who has known or done a deal with Charlie Winn over his 60+ years in the oil and gas business, knows a man who lives by the proud creed of his ilk – that a man’s word is his bond, and that he is defined by his honesty, integrity and reputation.” As founder, chairman, and president of his family-owned oil company, Winn Exploration Co., Inc. in Corpus Christi, Charlie operated or participated in oil and gas wells in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, Wyoming, Australia, and Canada. He also has interests in real estate development, banking, nanotechnology, and medical research and development.
Charlie was a member of the advisory board of American Bank in Corpus Christi and a former Director of First National Bank and Highland Park State Bank (San Antonio). He served on trustee, development, and/or advisory boards for Texas A&I University, Baylor University’s Council for Institutional Development, Santa Rosa Medical Center, Baptist Children and Family Services (f/k/a Mexican Baptist Children’s Home), National Petroleum Council, and Texas State Aquarium. Charlie was Texas Ambassador of Goodwill at the Inauguration of Mexico’s President-elect Adolofo Lopez Mateos (1958-1964). C.C. was awarded Señor Amistad (“Mr. Friendship”) in 1984, and 1999, by the International Good Neighbor Council “in recognition of devoted efforts in promoting friendly international relations between the United States of America and Mexico.” In 1993, he became an “All American Wildcatter” and in 1996, he received the M. B. Rudman Outstanding Wildcatter Award. In 2001, Charlie was recognized by the Texas House of Representatives for his “contributions to the communities of Eagle Pass and Uvalde and to the State of Texas.” Winn partnered with ExxonMobil (2004-2006) to fund a program to help teachers use Texas State Aquarium as an environmentally-sound teaching resource. And “to strengthen wildlife research at Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute” the Winn family established the C.C. (Charlie) Winn Endowed Chair for Quail Research in 2008. In recognition of his philanthropy, Winn was honored by South Texas Celebrity Weekend (2003), South Texas Council of Boy Scouts of America (2004), Texas Oil and Gas Association (2008), American Heart Association (2009), and American Cancer Society (2009). And in 2012, Charlie was recognized by the College of Business as the recipient of the G. Russell Kirkland Award given in recognition of his support of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, the community, and South Texas.
Preceded in death by his parents, sister, and daughter, Sissy Winn Seale, Charlie is survived by his beloved wife of more than 64 years, Patsy and their four children, daughter, Stephanie Winn of Tucson, Arizona, and sons C.A. Winn (Nancy), Tom Winn (Melissa), and Southern Winn (Cathy) all of Chapman Ranch, Texas, nine grandchildren, Megan Winn (Chris Mei) of Corpus Christi, Cathleen Winn of Los Angeles, California, Dillon Winn of San Francisco, California, Southern Winn of Corpus Christi, Texas, Cody Winn of Corpus Christi, Texas, Amy Winn of College Station, Texas, Trey Winn, Sissy Winn, and Nicole Winn all of Corpus Christi, Texas, great granddaughter, Vivian Marie Winn, special niece, Caroline Szepessy (Andy) of Corpus Christi, Texas, niece Charlcie Goodman of Corpus Christi, Texas, nephew, Sedge Middleton of Dallas, Texas, cousins, great nieces and great nephews, his many dear friends, and his dedicated employees.
Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 26, 2015, at Yorktown Baptist Church, 5025 Yorktown Boulevard, Corpus Christi, Texas 78413. Interment at 5:30 p.m. at the Winn Ranch Cemetery in Eagle Pass, Texas. Relatives and friends are welcome at the services and the receptions to immediately follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests consideration of a memorial made in Charlie’s name to: Baptist Children and Family Services, Attention: Mr. Kevin Dinin, 1506 Bexar Crossing, San Antonio, Texas 78232; STARS (South Texas Academic Rising Scholars) 3900 North McColl Road, McAllen, Texas 78501–9160, Yorktown Christian Academy, 5025 Yorktown Boulevard, Corpus Christi, Texas 78413 or a charity of your choosing.
