Alfred Roy Danforth
1945-2024
Alfred Roy Danforth, 79, of Rd. 1, Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania, died in Houston, Texas, at the Houston Methodist West Hospital on July 4th, 2024, at the 21:11 hour.
Alfred was born in the City Hospital of Meadville, Pennsylvania, to Roy Alton Danforth and Charlotte Rebecca Sweet. Alfred used to be dropped off by a bridge to go fishing, while his mom went to the market, when he was 6 years old. He developed a lifelong love for fishing, either with flies or light tackle.
Alfred graduated from Townville High School on May 28, 1963, and was one of twelve students who received scholarship awards for the Titusville Campus of the University of Pittsburgh.
Alfred received a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, and attended graduate school at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, specializing in Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, Sedimentary Environment and Petroleum Geology.
Alfred R. Danforth carried a license from the Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists while being a consultant in Houston, Texas, after taking early retirement from Texaco Inc.
Al (Alfred) Danforth, as he was known professionally, started working for Texaco Inc. in New Orleans in 1973. In the late 1970s he had a new managerial assignment with Caltex, a Texaco affiliate, in Djakarta, Indonesia, where he lived with his first family until 1983.
Al Danforth transferred back to the Texaco Inc. headquarters in Harrison, New York, during the latter part of 1983. He re-married in October of 1984, and in May of 1987, he was re-assigned to Houston, Texas, as General Manager of New Ventures in Africa. He retired from Texaco Inc in 1998 and became a consultant.
Al Danforth was the organizer of the first Africa Symposium in Houston, Texas, in conjunction with the Petroleum Exploration Society of Great Britain (PESGB). He was a co-founder in 2002 of the highly successful African Conference that has occurred each year since the first Africa Symposium in London. The conferences held in Houston had Al as Chairman every other year, including the conference in Houston, Texas, September 11-12, 2012.
Al Danforth was an Emeritus Member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) and, was awarded Honorary Life Membership in the Houston Geological Society (HGS) for his continuing efforts on behalf of the Society and its members. He was a major resource to HGS, especially to the International Explorationists group. Since his first talk to the HGS in October of 1998, “Petroleum Systems of the Kwanza and Benguela Basins, Angola”, he assisted his fellow authors closely in preparing talks about the rapidly changing understanding regarding offshore of Africa. Al was chair of the Technical Programs of the International Explorationists group of the HGS 1999-2001. He was chairman of the International HGS group 2002-2005. He conducted thorough investigation of regional seismic lines and joined with fellow authors in well-illustrated talks for HGS about regional tectonic offshore Africa and adjacent areas. Al shared his extensive international experience when he was on the Organizing Committee of the HGS Continuing Education Committee in the programs “The Business of International Exploration Symposium”, February 2000, and “Doing Business in Latin America Symposium, January 2002.
Alfred R. Danforth was preceded in death by his two brothers, Frank Stanley Danforth Sr. (1943-2005) and Paul Robert Danforth (1950-1959).
Alfred R. Danforth is survived by his wife Carlota Alexandrina Jouvin Poetzscher, daughters Lori Kay Danforth, Julie Jo Pedersen and Elizabeth Charlotte Serrano, son Jonathan Alfred Danforth, granddaughters Lorraine C. Pedersen, Elishah Serrano and Soraya T. Danforth, grandsons Jared A. Lewis and Christopher J. Pedersen, and a great-grandson Nikolai A. Lewis.
A Houston Memorial Service will be at the Memorial Drive United Methodist Church, 12955 Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77079, TBA.
A Pennsylvania Memorial Service and Burial will be at the New Richmond United Methodist Church and Cemetery at 29776 Highway 77, Guys Mills, PA 16327, TBA.
The burial location is at Al’s hometown church and cemetery where his relatives have been interred going back to his great-grandfather. He had already purchased plots there for himself and his current wife, Carlota.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the New Richmond United Methodist Church for the Cemetery and Building Fund would be greatly appreciated.We thank you for your kindness.