Guy I. Warren Papers

Guy I. Warren was born in Nickerson, Kansas in 1895. He went to school at the University of Upper Iowa, where he studied engineering. Mr. Warren moved to Dallas, Texas in 1919 and in the mid-1930s relocated to Corpus Christi, Texas. Guy I. Warren’s life included a long career in the military and in the oil business. He married Gazzie Suttle, the former Gazzie Suttle of Corsicana, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. I.N. Suttle. Guy and Gazzie Warren had one son Guy S. Warren.

During World War I, he served as an airman in the United States Army Air Corps. When World War II began, he continued his time in the United States Army as a Colonel. He received many decorations including the Victory Medal, Mediterranean Ribbon with three battle stars, Bronze Star, and Legion Merit. Warren was a leader in early oil exploration of the Gulf Coast area. In 1937 he moved to Corpus Christi from Dallas. In 1950 when he was president of the Chamber of Commerce he organized the Area Development Committee, a group of 100 civic, business, and government leaders. It was the primary force behind a master plan for the city of Corpus Christi that led to the establishment of a new dam, highway, port improvements, and the Harbor Bridge. He also chaired the Lower Nueces Water District Board in 1959.

He was president of Renwar Oil Corp., a founder of Pan American Sulphur Co., owner of Palm Petroleum Corp., and a past director of Caribbean Sulphur Shipping Co. Ltd. Warren was a staunch promoter of higher education. In 1971 when the Texas legislature decided to create an upper-level state university in Corpus Christi, he was influential in preserving this campus site for the new state university. Mr. and Mrs. Warren made a substantial gift to the university in 1975 for the construction of the new Center for the Arts, named the Warren Theatre. In 1984 they made another contribution for the financing of student apartments to be completed in the fall of 1984. The first permanent building to be dedicated at the University of Corpus Christi (now Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi) was the Gazzie Warren Hall, named for Warren’s wife. She served as secretary of the University's Board of Trustees and was a longtime Corpus Christi civic leader. In addition, Mrs. Warren was a stockholder, officer, and successful Director of Consumers Gas Company for 42 years.