Gip D. Oldham

Gip D. Oldham, Jr., born April 27, 1921 in Abilene, Texas to Gip D. Oldham, Sr. and Lois Darby Oldham, passed away on December 24, 2010 in a local care facility. Gip grew up in Abilene, attended Abilene schools, and graduated from Hardin-Simmons University in 1941. While a student at HSU he played football his freshman and sophomore years, played baseball his junior year, and was a non-playing manager of the baseball team his senior year. Gip served on the Bronco staff his sophomore year, and during his senior year, was vice president of his class. Soon after graduating from Hardin-Simmons, he became a flight instructor at Sweetwater, Texas where he trained Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs). He was later stationed at Cairo, Egypt. After World War II, he had a supervisory job for an insulating company in Dallas from 1946 - 1951. While living in Dallas, he met and married Virginia Logsdon. He returned to his first love, flying, in 1951. Gip and Virginia lived in Saudi Arabia for 15 years, where Gip was a pilot for ARAMCO. He flew company dignitaries and royalty, including King Hussein of Jordan, and Kings Sa'ud and Faisal of Saudi Arabia. While working full time for ARAMCO, he received a law diploma from LaSalle Extension University. Gip and Virginia retired to Dallas and lived there for more than 30 years before moving to Abilene in 2009. Gip is survived by his wife Virginia and long-time friends H.V. (Chuck) Chapman and Sherwyn McNair, both of Abilene, and Art Hill, of Dallas. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Arrangements are being handled by The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Virginia Logsdon Oldham Endowed Scholarship at Hardin-Simmons University, Box 16100, Abilene, TX 79698.