Roll Call Tribute
Bobby "Bob" Jones '52 November 20, 2020 1:00 PM updated: November 20, 2020 1:48 PM
Bobby Carl Jones
1927 - 2020
Scientist. Comedian. Intellect. Optimist. And the most compassionate, loving man to ever walk God's earth. With that, we sadly announce the death of Bobby Carl Jones, born Nov. 4, 1927. In grand fashion, he left this earthly place on his birthday, Nov. 4, 2020. He died peacefully in his sleep. He was 93 years young.
We celebrate that he is now reunited with the love of his life, Dorothy O'Brien Jones, who preceded him in death in 2019. They were married 67 years. We also celebrate the incredible life and person that God gave us by bringing Bobby into the world.
Known by untold family, friends and loved ones as simply "Uncle Bob," Bobby's journey began when he was born to a humble, hard-working family in Old East Dallas. He had two sisters and loving parents, who nurtured in him an endless curiosity about math, science and how the world and universe work. And with an IQ that rivaled any scientist of any era, he would not stay put for long.
After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School at the end of World War II, he took a slow, rolling train ride to College Station, Texas and never looked back. He attended Texas A&M University, where he earned degrees in geology and geophysics after serving in the U.S. Coast Guard. From there, he and his bride Dorothy traveled the southern U.S. as his burgeoning career grew, from West Texas to Oklahoma, Houston, Mississippi and Louisiana.
Soon his leadership skills and unquestioned scientific prowess led to an executive position with Marathon Oil. He and Dorothy, along with the other love of his life, his daughter Patricia, then moved to California. It was the beginning of oil exploration on the West Coast and in the Pacific Northwest to build U.S. energy independence. By the early 1970s, Marathon Oil tapped Bob to move to Alaska and help lead the surveying of the Arctic Circle for the construction of the Alaskan Pipeline. While doing so, he was also a staunch advocate for the rights and respect of indigenous populations affected by the pipeline's development and the potential negative environmental impacts of the project, which still provides critical resources to various parts of the world.
In 1984, Bob and Dorothy moved to Sugar Land, Texas, where he finished his long career in the energy industry. His grandson, Taylor Jones McMahon, was born in 1989. Bob was more than thrilled to have a grandson to share all things with especially his love for sports. And share he did. Hours of time spent watching games, analyzing stats and discussing players instilled in Taylor a passion for sports, which is now the focus of his own entrepreneurial career that Bob was so very proud of.
In 2001, Bob and Dorothy moved to Dallas to be with family and friends with whom they grew up and loved. In turn, he went back to being a dad, granddad, Uncle Bob and Bobby. No words can explain what that means. He spent countless hours leading games of charades, telling old tales, sharing witty stories, serving as an usher at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and being a devoted leader of the Wilshire Heights Homeowners Association. His home hosted block parties, chili cookoffs and Christmas and New Year's celebrations.
He had a passion for dining out, a good glass of red wine and hours of banter and long chess matches, which he is certainly enjoying today in heaven with his brothers James and David O'Brien. These retirement years also gave Dorothy and him time to travel to Toronto, Canada, to visit his daughter Patricia and their beloved grandson Taylor, who both live in Dallas today.
Alongside the wedding ring he wore until the day he died, there was also an old Aggie ring that never left his hand. The gold had worn smooth over the years, making it almost unrecognizable. His nieces and nephews would look at it in amazement then sit back and listen to tales of the Corps of Cadets, Texas A&M, the Bering Sea, oil exploration and the world. But to these friends and family, his professional accomplishments as an executive and scientist meant very little. It was those tales of adventure his sense of wonderment and adventure that enraptured us in every word he spoke. And through those stories we saw his loving spirit, which made him a hero to us all. Gig 'em.
Memorial services are pending due to COVID-19 safety concerns.
Donations in Bobby's memory can be made to the Texas A&M Foundation or SPCA of Texas.
© 2020 Legacy.com All rights Reserved
1927 - 2020
Scientist. Comedian. Intellect. Optimist. And the most compassionate, loving man to ever walk God's earth. With that, we sadly announce the death of Bobby Carl Jones, born Nov. 4, 1927. In grand fashion, he left this earthly place on his birthday, Nov. 4, 2020. He died peacefully in his sleep. He was 93 years young.
We celebrate that he is now reunited with the love of his life, Dorothy O'Brien Jones, who preceded him in death in 2019. They were married 67 years. We also celebrate the incredible life and person that God gave us by bringing Bobby into the world.
Known by untold family, friends and loved ones as simply "Uncle Bob," Bobby's journey began when he was born to a humble, hard-working family in Old East Dallas. He had two sisters and loving parents, who nurtured in him an endless curiosity about math, science and how the world and universe work. And with an IQ that rivaled any scientist of any era, he would not stay put for long.
After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School at the end of World War II, he took a slow, rolling train ride to College Station, Texas and never looked back. He attended Texas A&M University, where he earned degrees in geology and geophysics after serving in the U.S. Coast Guard. From there, he and his bride Dorothy traveled the southern U.S. as his burgeoning career grew, from West Texas to Oklahoma, Houston, Mississippi and Louisiana.
Soon his leadership skills and unquestioned scientific prowess led to an executive position with Marathon Oil. He and Dorothy, along with the other love of his life, his daughter Patricia, then moved to California. It was the beginning of oil exploration on the West Coast and in the Pacific Northwest to build U.S. energy independence. By the early 1970s, Marathon Oil tapped Bob to move to Alaska and help lead the surveying of the Arctic Circle for the construction of the Alaskan Pipeline. While doing so, he was also a staunch advocate for the rights and respect of indigenous populations affected by the pipeline's development and the potential negative environmental impacts of the project, which still provides critical resources to various parts of the world.
In 1984, Bob and Dorothy moved to Sugar Land, Texas, where he finished his long career in the energy industry. His grandson, Taylor Jones McMahon, was born in 1989. Bob was more than thrilled to have a grandson to share all things with especially his love for sports. And share he did. Hours of time spent watching games, analyzing stats and discussing players instilled in Taylor a passion for sports, which is now the focus of his own entrepreneurial career that Bob was so very proud of.
In 2001, Bob and Dorothy moved to Dallas to be with family and friends with whom they grew up and loved. In turn, he went back to being a dad, granddad, Uncle Bob and Bobby. No words can explain what that means. He spent countless hours leading games of charades, telling old tales, sharing witty stories, serving as an usher at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and being a devoted leader of the Wilshire Heights Homeowners Association. His home hosted block parties, chili cookoffs and Christmas and New Year's celebrations.
He had a passion for dining out, a good glass of red wine and hours of banter and long chess matches, which he is certainly enjoying today in heaven with his brothers James and David O'Brien. These retirement years also gave Dorothy and him time to travel to Toronto, Canada, to visit his daughter Patricia and their beloved grandson Taylor, who both live in Dallas today.
Alongside the wedding ring he wore until the day he died, there was also an old Aggie ring that never left his hand. The gold had worn smooth over the years, making it almost unrecognizable. His nieces and nephews would look at it in amazement then sit back and listen to tales of the Corps of Cadets, Texas A&M, the Bering Sea, oil exploration and the world. But to these friends and family, his professional accomplishments as an executive and scientist meant very little. It was those tales of adventure his sense of wonderment and adventure that enraptured us in every word he spoke. And through those stories we saw his loving spirit, which made him a hero to us all. Gig 'em.
Memorial services are pending due to COVID-19 safety concerns.
Donations in Bobby's memory can be made to the Texas A&M Foundation or SPCA of Texas.
© 2020 Legacy.com All rights Reserved
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