Born in Vancouver, Laurence E. ‘Bud’ Machin of Austin, Texas, died peacefully in the home of his son in Chelsea, Vermont, on August 24, 2012. He was 97 years old.

Bud received his BA in statistics followed by a BASc in chemical engineering. After graduation, he worked for a limestone company on Texada Island. However, after his first day of work Standard Oil of California contacted him for an overseas job in the Persian Gulf with Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO).

Bud started as an engineer in BAPCO’s new refinery and quickly rose to the position of chief refinery inspector, then to manager of transportation, refinery maintenance and construction. In 1956 he transferred to Caltex Australia as manager of maintenance. In 1959 he transferred to Caltex headquarters in New York as assistant manager of operations in Caltex Europe. In 1966 he was named the assistant general manager of the newly formed Caltex Mediterranean Ltd., and was later promoted to president where for eight years he was responsible for operations in France, Turkey, and Spain. He retired in 1977 and joined the American Arbitration Association, working notably on the Exxon vs. Mobil case. Later, he was an arbitrator with NASD for 10 years, a member of the board of directors of several time share companies, and a member of the board of directors of a local bank in Austin, Texas.

Bud married Valetta Beatrice ‘Betty’ Morris, BCom’37, in Honolulu in 1941. With the onset of WWII, they shared many heart-stopping ship voyages, one of which involved a trip on an overloaded freighter that “submarined” across the Atlantic Ocean in a convoy of battleships.

Bud was predeceased by Betty in 2006. He is survived by his three children, five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Bud and Betty were very proud of their family and they will be greatly missed.