Obituary published in The Oklahoman, November 1995
Eugene Oscar Kuntz, 82, Norman, died Nov. 11, 1995, at Norman Regional Hospital. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18, at Memorial Presbyterian Church, 601 24th Ave. SW. A private inurnment service will be held in the church’s columbarium prior to the memorial service.
Mr. Kuntz was born Oct. 8, 1913 in Corpus Christi, TX. to Katie Lang and Walter Nichols Kuntz. He graduated from San Jacinto High School in Houston, TX. and received A.B. and J.D. degrees from Baylor University and an LL.M. degree from Harvard Law School. He served active duty with the U.S. Naval Reserve for 4 1/2 years during WWII, principally as a gunnery officer in the European Theatre, remained active in the Naval Reserve, and retired as Lt. Commander. On March 9, 1940, he married Rosamond Miller of Waco, TX.
Mr. Kuntz taught at the University of Wyoming from 1947-52. He started teaching at the University of Oklahoma College of Law in the fall of 1952, and continued until his retirement in 1981, at which time he resumed private practice until his death. He was Dean Emeritus, George Lynn Cross Research Professor and Alfred P. Murrah Professor Emeritus, University of Oklahoma Law Center. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Citation by the University of Oklahoma and the Eugene Kuntz Professorship of Natural Resources Law was established with funds contributed by former students and other friends. After his retirement from the OU Law School, he taught as visiting professor at the Southern Methodist University Law School, the University of Texas Law School, and the University of Calgary, where he was Visiting Holder of the Chair of Natural Resources in the Faculty of Law and was named Visiting Killam Scholar by the University. He practiced, taught, and wrote about oil and gas law since 1940, except for his active duty years with the U.S. Naval Reserve during WWII.
He practiced law in Amarillo, TX. prior to his war years. In 1958, he joined McAfee and Taft, Oklahoma City, as partner and combined practice and teaching. Later he became of counsel with the firm and continued in that capacity until his death.
Mr. Kuntz served as a Special Justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court, as adviser to the Governor’s Committee on Tax Reform, as vice chairman of the Special Committee on Tax Reform, as a member of the Oklahoma Academy for State Goals and, for many years, as a member of the Board of Editors of the Oklahoma Bar Journal. He was the first recipient of the Gerald Klein Award given by the Oklahoma Bar Association and was the 1992 recipient of the John Rogers Award awarded by the Southwestern Legal Foundation in recognition of outstanding contributions as a scholar, lawyer, teacher, and author in the field of oil & gas law. He was a Fellow of both the Oklahoma and American Bar Foundations. Kuntz was the author of a multi-volume treatise, ‘Kuntz, Law of Oil and Gas’, Anderson Publishing Co. He co-authored the first and second editions of ‘Kuntz, Lowe, Anderson, and Smith, Cases and Materials on Oil and Gas Law’, West Publishing Co.; authored ‘Cases and Materials on Contracts Used in Oil and Gas Exploration and Operations’, University of Calgary; many books and training manuals for continuing legal education, and many law review articles. He served as an Oklahoma editor for the Oil and Gas Reporter from 1955 until his death.
Kuntz was an elder in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He and Mrs. Kuntz were charter members of Memorial Presbyterian Church, Norman. For many years, he was chairman of the Board of Trustees of Washita Presbytery and a member of the Board of Trustees of its successor, the Indian Nations Presbytery. He also served as a commissioner to General Assembly and, on various occasions, as a commissioner to Presbytery and Synod.
Kuntz is survived by his wife, Rosamond Miller Kuntz of the home. He is also survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Karen and Dennis Maloy, a grandson, Travis Maloy, and a granddaughter, Alicia Maloy, all of Norman; and several nephews and one niece. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, a sister, Vivian Kuntz Jones, and a brother, Walter N. Kuntz, Jr.
In lieu of floral offerings, the family suggests that contributions be made to the Eugene Kuntz Memorial, Memorial Presbyterian Church, 601 24th Ave. SW, Norman, Ok 73069, or to the University of Oklahoma Foundation for the Eugene Kuntz Professorship, OU College of Law, Attn: Cathy Moore, 300 Timberdell Road, Norman, Ok 73019-0701.