Richard Franklin Furr was born in Oklahoma City, Okla., on July 11, 1932, and passed away Jan. 29, 2016. He attended Oklahoma public school in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and John Brown Military Academy in Salome Springs, Arkansas. He joined the Air Force and was stationed in Alaska where he met and married his first wife, Beverly.
After his discharge, he returned to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Tinker Field had scheduled a test for entry into a class on data processing. Frank took and passed the test and was given a GS2 rating. This was his entrance into data processing.
Hughes Industries in Houston, Texas, was seeking an employee knowledgeable in data processing to run their payroll. Frank interviewed, and was hired by Noah Dietrich. While at Hughes, he attended Cullen University (University of Houston) in the evenings. Frank always said he left Howard Hughes for adventures in aerospace manufacturing located in Fort Worth, Texas.
In Fort Worth, Texas, he was employed by General Dynamics and later Bell Helicopter; during this time he attended night school at Texas Christian University. Frank graduated in the top 10 percent of his class with a bachelor of business administration degree in management. He also completed the requirements for a Certificate in Data Processing in November 1963, and was selected for membership in the Data Processing Management Association in August 1964. He was selected for membership in the Beta Gamma Sigma, an international honor society, in 1967.
Joining EDS as a systems engineer in 1968, he was assigned to develop and manage EDS’ national efforts in utilization review for health care industry. The following year, Furr became Western Regional Manager for the 800-employee Blue Cross and Blue Shield account in California. That same year, 1970, Frank became a health care division vice president. In September 1970, he returned to Dallas to manage national operations and systems for EDS’ health care industry. In 1971, he became an EDS vice president.
During the next 10 years, he held the following positions — vice president of the Systems and Operations Division; vice president of EDS Leasing corporation; vice president for Administrative Group and served on the board of EDS as a director.
In February 1981, EDS acquired Centurion corporation, a minicomputer manufacturer and he was appointed chairman of the board, a position he held as well as serving on the board of EDS as a director until he retired. The book, “A Unique One-Time Opportunity” tells the story of EDS.
After retirement in 1982, Frank established The Windmill Orchards, growing pecans, in Granbury, Texas. While a member of the Texas Pecan Growers Association, he served a term as a director.
He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Helen Horan Furr; daughter, Kathy Cowley Furr; son, Jon Preston Clark; God children, Kimberly Craig, Travis Craig and Thomas Craig; grandchildren, grand-God children and great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held in Granbury, Texas, in Martin’s Funeral Home Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to The Salvation Army or a charity of your choice.
Martin’s Funeral Home
100 S. Morgan St.
