The Reno-Gandy House

J.M. Bloodworth’s farm was in the area where part of Olney grew in the early forties.

Mr. Bloodworth made an oil lease to Tom F. Hunter in 1930, on the south side of his property. Mr. Hunter was from Wichita Falls and was a candidate for Governor of Texas on the Republican ticket both before and after this time.

P. Raymond Gandy was working for Reno Oil in Breckenridge on a waterflood project, and in 1942, he was sent to Olney to the Bloodworth Lease. His family initially lived in a rock house east of town on 114. Reno was responsible for Gandy’s housing, so they bought a house on the Green Ranch west of Anarene and moved it to the present location on Bloodworth in 1946. The Gandys consisted of Raymond(1905-1990) and Doris (1914-1992) and the four boys—Gary, Larry, Jerry and Mickey.

In 1962, the Bloodworth grandchildren— Billy Earl Gilbert, Marjorie Sanders and Patti Larimore—signed the deed to the property. Most oil companies had a right to have housing for the workers on the oil lease, as in this case, and to make a sale to Gandy legal, the Bloodworth heirs had to sign a deed so that Reno could sell the house to Gandy. In 1988, Doris, P.R.’s wife, individually and attorney-in-fact, conveyed the property to Jerry Don Gandy, who then turned around and deeded it back to the parents, who then executed another deed to Jerry Don, this time retaining a life estate.

After P.R. and Doris passed, Larry Ron acquired his siblings’ interests and remained the property owner. He and his wife Judy were the operators of the Gandy Restaurant on Main Street for several years. Today the house is the favorite place for family gatherings, especially at Christmas.