Louis Felkins

Louis Felkins, (Slim), 94, of Odessa, Texas passed away Sunday, June 25, 2023.

He was born February 28, 1929, to Noah David Felkins and Rosa Mae Downing Felkins.  He was born with a twin, (he weighed three and she weighed two pounds).  They were born at home in Frisco, Oklahoma (Old Stonewall).  Their mother placed them in a shoe box in front of a wood stove to warm them as the twins were not expected to live.  When the doctor heard they had, he recorded their birth.  His home was the old Chickasaw Indian boarding school located about halfway between Fittstown, and Stonewall, in Pontotoc, County called The Collins Institute, from birth until 1940.  After 1940, he lived on his parents' farm outside of Stonewall.  The Collins Institute closed in 1910.  It was rented to the Felkins in 1927.

In 1952 he came to Texas to work.  He married Polly Clark Felkins in Morton, TX.  They moved to Odessa in 1953 where Louis worked for A. W. Thompson Drilling Company.  He worked for various other drilling companies then went to Puerto Rico with Kewanee Oil in 1960.  He returned to work with A. W. Thompson Drilling in 1961.  A. W. Thompson sold to Santa Fe Drilling.  He retired from Santa Fe after thirty more years tenure with the company.  He was featured as the star role in the 1999 Fearless Films called Oilers, Roustabouts and Roughnecks.   In 1980, after working long hours in the oilfield he designed, constructed, and developed a mobile home park in West Odessa.  He and his spouse managed and maintained the business thirty-seven years together until Polly passed December 28, 2017.  He continued to work in his business until August 2022.  He is remembered for his hard-dedicated-skilled work.  His motto was that nothing could prevent him from working, and work didn't hurt anyone.  He did not focus on what was done, rather what was not done.

He is proceeded in death by his spouse Polly; mother-n-law, Maye; sister-n-law, Mary-Joyce; brother-n-law, Paul; his parents; one brother, Lester; five sisters, Lillie, Mary, Mildred, Vera, and Lois; his son's, Noah, David & Louis, Dwayne Felkins; and grandchildren, Candace and Jared Hoyt.

He is survived by his children, Barbara Felkins & Jimmy Stanley of Austin, Mary Felkins Dye of Odessa, Carol & Allan Hoyt of Odessa, Clifford Felkins of Lubbock; seven granddaughters, Misty Bolton, Patti Bolton, Misty Ballard, Christine Vail-Hail, Amber Gray, Melissa Vail Kreutzer, Cassidy Norwood; four grandsons, Sean McCullough, Joshua Felkins, Jeremy Felkins, Dakota Hoyt; and many great, great-great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Viewing will take place at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home Wednesday, June 28, 2023, from 1pm – 8pm.  Graveside services will take place Thursday, June 29th, at 10 A.M, at Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery.