Robert Buchanan

Robert LeTellier Buchanan, age 85 of Kerrville, passed away Sunday, February 14, 2016 in a local hospital. He was born in Galveston, Texas on April 25, 1930, to Pauline Tontz and Lewis LeTellier Buchanan. Bob attended six elementary schools before his family moved to Corpus Christi. He was always energetic, happy, and enthusiastic. During the years he attended school, he was a Boy Scout, a Red Cross Senior Life Guard, Student Council President at Wynn Seale Jr. High School and Del Mar Junior College. He played football in junior high, high school, junior college and Texas Western in El Paso. He also played football while in the Navy where he served 4 years-several of those years on a minesweeper in Korea. On his return from Korea, he obtained a BS in Petroleum Engineering from Texas A&I College in Kingsville, Texas where he was in the National Honor Societies, Alpha Chi and Sigma Tau. At McDonald/Douglas in California, he was a project engineer on the Apollo 11 Lunar Landing Project.\r\n \r\nHis mother and father; his son, David, Diane's twin brother; and his daughter, Lisa Buchanan, predeceased Bob.\r\n \r\nHe is survived by his loving wife, Dixie; and two children, Diane Hoblick (Dennis) and Paul Buchanan (Dana); grandsons, Jason (Erin) and Joshua (Aya) and granddaughter, Skye; great grandsons, Matthew and Colin; and great-granddaughter, Melody; plus Dixie's three boys, Paul, Marshall (Norma) and Keith Thrailkill, and their children, Kele, Lena, Cameron, Amber and great granddaughter, McKenzie.\r\n \r\nDuring his professional career, Bob worked for Standard Oil of California, McDonald/Douglas Space Division, Sullair Corporation and retired from Allis-Chalmers Compressor Corporation where he was their West Coast Sales and Service Manager.\r\n \r\nAfter retirement, Bob enjoyed volunteering at the Children's Ark at First United Methodist Church, by bringing different animals every week for children to pet and learn about; from puppies to snakes. He was affectionately known as Uncle Bob.\r\n \r\nBob's cremated remains will be in three locations: on his son, David's grave, with some of Dixie's remains in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, next to her father; and some encrypted in the First United Methodist Church Columbarium in Kerrville, Texas.\r\n \r\nMemorial services will be held 2 PM, Tuesday, February 16, 2016 at First United Methodist Church officiated by Rev. Donna Magee.\r\n \r\nMemorials may be made to surgeon Dr. Tim Berg in Kenya, Africa by sending to First United Methodist Church in Kerrville.