Robert "Bob" Grace's Obituary
On the morning of February 28, 2023, Robert Grace passed away peacefully, comforted by his son and daughter at Longview Regional Hospital. He was 83 years old.
Bob was born in Lubbock, Texas on December 14, 1939, the first of twin boys born to Lena and Ray Grace. A native of Plainview in the Texas Panhandle, Bob graduated in 1958 from Plainview High School where he was an All-State basketball player. He accepted a basketball scholarship to Texas A&M University and later transferred to West Texas State in Canyon for two years before returning to A&M to complete his business degree. He played intercollegiate basketball at both universities.
After graduation, Bob worked several years for Texaco in Houston and Tyler. In 1969 he began a 30-year career in Human Resources at Eastman Chemical Company in Longview, serving for several years as the Manager of Technical Recruiting and then as the Plant Personnel Manager until retiring in 1998.
Bob was a longtime member at Greggton First Baptist Church where he served as a deacon, and he also worked with the RA’s when he was a member of Calvary Baptist Church. He coached many youth baseball and basketball teams. He loved shooting hoops with Phil and his friends on his backyard court. A wonderful father who loved to laugh, he was always present for his children and their friends. He was a passionate photographer, and we will treasure the memories he captured through the many pictures he took.
Bob is preceded in death by his wife Beth Ann, who passed away on March 1, 2003, by his parents Ray (1961) and Lena (1994), by his brother-in-law Duke, his sister-in-law Pat, his niece Gaby Yates and nephew David Grace.
Bob is survived by his twin brother, Phil; his son Phil and daughter-in-law Angie; his daughter Debbie and son-in-law Kyle; his grandchildren Kyle, Kelsey, Tyler and wife Kaley, and Grace and husband Billy; his great-grandchildren Addilyn, Kensie, Jenabee, Eros, Jett, Journey, Liam, and Rory; his sisters-in-law Nancy and Linda and husband Ronnie; his nieces and nephews Jake, Sally, Sean, Brian, and Bill.
Funeral services will be 11am, Saturday, March 4, 2023, at Rader Funeral Home in Longview with a time of viewing starting at 10am. Interment will follow the service at Rosewood Park, Longview. An online memorial book may be signed at the funeral home website, www.raderfh.com.
In lieu of flowers, Bob requested memorials be sent to: Scottish Rite Hospital 2222 Welborn Street, Dallas, TX 75219, plannedgiving.scottishriteforchildren.org
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