Thaddeus Thomson “Thad” Hutcheson Jr., a Houston native, died peacefully on July 11, 2020, following a long illness.

He was born on March 2, 1941 to Caroline Brownlee and Thad Thomson Hutcheson Sr. He attended the Kinkaid School and Lanier Junior High School in Houston before graduating from The Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania in 1959 where he roomed with his lifetime friend, Philip Cannon. He attended Princeton University, graduating in 1963 from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. At Princeton, Thad was a member of The University Cottage Club and chairman of The Princeton Tiger, one of the nation’s oldest college humor magazines. Thad received a JD from The University of Texas School of Law in 1966 where he was an associate editor of Texas Law Review and a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

Thad returned to Houston to practice law. He had a long and distinguished career at Baker Botts as a corporate lawyer working with leading energy clients around the world. Of the many clients with whom he worked, one of his proudest accomplishments was working with his lifetime friends, David Carmichael and Billy Conner, in founding American Oil & Gas Corporation that went public and was later acquired by KN Energy. After leaving Baker Botts, Thad moved into corporate executive roles, building and leading global water, natural gas pipeline and LNG related businesses.

In 1991, Thad married Rebecca Brown Rogers, and they enjoyed almost 30 wonderful years together, traveling often to her family’s Lambshead Ranch, their summer home in Boothbay, Maine and the many exotic foreign locations where Thad worked. Taking a break from his legal and business career, he also received a master’s in theology from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

Thad was an accomplished, world-class sailor who relished international competition. Bob Mosbacher, Tommy Dickey and Thad won the 1971 Soling World Championships held in Oyster Bay, New York in a hard fought battle against the world’s top sailors. In 1988, Thad and his son, Curtis, competed in the Soling Olympic Trials. Thad spent many years sailing at Texas Corinthian Yacht Club, where he served as commodore, and later in life at Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club. He will be lovingly remembered for teaching his son, daughter, grandchildren, nieces, nephews and many friends the joy of sailing. He built friendships with fellow sailors on and off the water that continued throughout his life.

Thad was a sixth generation Texan and member of Houston Country Club, The Bayou Club, Allegro, Eagle Lake Rod and Gun Club and St. Charles Bay Hunting Club. Thad was also a founding member of the Tejas Breakfast Club. His love for the outdoors included fishing, hunting and camping with family and friends. He loved his lifetime of memories at the old Palmer Plantation, the Brownlee Ranch and the Lambshead Ranch.

Rebecca and Thad roamed the coast of Maine for over 20 years, creating many special memories and friends. In recent years, Thad enjoyed painting landscapes in Maine and spending time with friends and family. An avid reader, he was eager to discuss history, literature and current political topics. Thad was an excellent storyteller--clever, funny and always with an unfailing and razor-sharp wit.

Thad is survived by his loving wife, Rebecca, who was his steadfast support and comfort over the course of his long illness; his children, Genevieve Butcher and husband Keen and Curtis Hutcheson and wife Courtney; his six grandchildren, Keen Butcher, Lenox Butcher, Madeleine Butcher, Thad Hutcheson, Eleanor Hutcheson and Lilly Butcher. He was very close to his siblings, Houghton Hutcheson, Palmer Hutcheson, Tom Hutcheson (deceased), Lucy Barrow and their spouses; and his mother-in-law, Susan Brown, father-in-law, Joe Brown (deceased) and their children, Matt Brown, John Brown and Ardon Armstrong, their spouses and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Thad was also survived by Lenox McClendon Reed, his first wife and mother of his children.

Over the last 10+ years, Thad received world class care from Dr Stuart Solomon and Dr. Martin Poliak. The past few years, he became very close to his amazing caregivers, Trese Yarbrough, Clarence Shephard, Pinnie Mosquera and Nicole Wells, who provided round the clock care and friendship.

The family plans to bury Thad in the Reynolds Bend Cemetery at Lambshead Ranch in Albany, Texas, a place that he, Rebecca and so many of their family members enjoyed.

A celebration of Thad’s life will be held when circumstances permit his many friends and family to gather in his memory. For those desiring, the family has suggested memorial contributions be directed to the TTH Memorial Fund at the Gulf Coast Youth Sailing Association, www.GCYSA.org or the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, www.mainegardens.org