New Mexico oilman, philanthropist Mack Chase dies at 92

Matthew Narvaiz, Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
·3 min read
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Oct. 2—He was known as a man of risks, which eventually paid off.

But to those who knew him — and he'd introduce himself to strangers with the line "Chase is my name"— New Mexico oilman Mack Chase was a giver. That's whether he was giving money to pay the college tuition for a local high school graduate, or to aid organizations that helped others in need. Those acts of service are what Chase will be remembered for, his loved ones said.

Chase, the founder of Artesia-based Mack Energy Corp. and Chase Farms, and at one point the richest person in New Mexico, died on Monday in Artesia at 92 with family by his side. He is survived by three children, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

"The community here in Artesia really took care of him — helped him out," said Chance Chase, Mack's grandson. "There were times when he wasn't able to even buy a washer and dryer and someone gave him one, and he was able to pay him back later. ... Ever since then, he's instilled in our family that we take care of the communities that we live in."

The fourth of eight children, Chase was born in Texas on April 29, 1931. He moved to Artesia as a child and eventually graduated from Artesia High School in 1950. And, according to a timeline from Mack Energy Corp., he first began working in the oil fields in 1945 at 14 years old.

Chase, after graduating high school, served in the U.S. Armed Forces and was stationed in Korea. Upon returning in 1953, he married his wife Marilyn Chase. They were married for more than 60 years before she died in 2016.

Chase's risk-taking, entrepreneurial spirit led him to start Chase Well Service in 1954 and eventually Mack Chase Inc. in 1968 — which operated 18 to 21 rigs at the time.

By 1990, Chase created Mack Energy Corp. He also founded Chase Farms, one of the largest pecan growers in the country, and Chase Energy Services in 2017.

Forbes, as recently as 2019, named Chase the richest person in New Mexico, with a net worth of $700 million.

But those closest to Chase, which includes the people of the small town of Artesia, knew him for his philanthropy.

Chance Chase said his grandfather started the Chase Foundation in 2006 as an organization aimed first at providing scholarships for local students but later on as an organization that "really instilled the values of community service." The organization has helped pay for millions of dollars in of scholarships for more than 1,000 students.

Chance Chase said his grandfather was a big football fan — especially of the Artesia High Bulldogs, for whom he played — and an avid hunter and fisherman.

His death on Monday sparked an outpouring of comments on the Chase Foundation Facebook page. Many people thanked him for his philanthropic support over the years.

In a statement, New Mexico House Republican members Jim Townsend, Cathrynn Brown and Jimmy Mason remembered Chase for his sense of community and work in the oil and gas industry.

"We express our condolences to the Chase family, Mack Energy employees, and the community who will no doubt feel the loss of Mack, who championed our communities and oil and gas industry in New Mexico," they said.