Heaven just got a lot more fun! Bob Tullos joined the Heaven Club on September 25, 2024.
Bobby Glen Tullos was born on November 30, 1936, in Goldthwaite, Texas to Grady Tullos and Lona Kirby Tullos. Bob graduated from Goldthwaite High School where he excelled in football, baseball, and basketball earning a baseball scholarship to the University of Texas. He hitchhiked with one suitcase to get to Austin. If NIL had been a thing back then, he would have been rich with his personality and charm! Bob hurt his knee and his baseball career ended.
Bob went to work for his brother in construction who just happened to have a project in Stuttgart, Arkansas. Bob loved Stuttgart and he loved Nancy Sue Wilson, his future wife, and decided to stay. He went to work for Jackson Construction and did a fair amount of hunting and fishing. Bob got out of the construction business and went to work for GTE climbing telephone poles in 1954. Managers recognized his aptitude and put him in the manager training program. Daddy’s real career started there, and he loved it.
Bob was also a proud Army veteran!
In 1968, Bob was transferred to GTE in Texarkana to become Operations Manager where he could thrive in another passion…volunteering. Bob was very active in Jaycees, Rotary Club, and the Texarkana of Commerce where he served on the Board of Directors, Military Affairs Committee, and Chair of the Tourism Committee. He loved traveling the world extolling the virtues of Texarkana. He also volunteered as director of the American Red Cross, served on Texarkana’s Public Library board, and was board chair for the Greater Texarkana United Way
Bob was transferred back to Arkansas in 1977 to be the Operations Manager for the state, and he chose to move back to Stuttgart. There he became active in the community again elected President of the Jaycees and active in the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce and volunteering at the annual Duck Calling Contest. In 1980, Bob and a friend wrote down and planned on a cocktail napkin, a wonderful new fundraiser to be held during the Duck Calling Contest. That event turned out to be, and still is, very successful: Duck Gumbo Cook-off.
In 1982, Bob was transferred again to the Dallas/Fort Worth Area, Lewisville, TX where he was in charge of all phone services at DFW Airport and Dallas Cowboy Stadium.
While in Lewisville, Bob and some buddies started and organized the Safari Club which took them on numerous adventures.
With another big promotion, Bob was transferred back to Texarkana to manage all Arkansas and East Texas GTE operations. He retired from GTE in 1990, but he couldn’t stay retired very long. He was asked to work for the Red River Water Commission to lobby Washington to get funds to make the Red River navigable.
Almost 13 years ago to the day, Bob had a massive stroke which left him without speech or mobility. Doctors gave him about 4 months to live. I’m pretty sure Bob said, ‘Hold my beer’ and held on until today. During those 14 years, Bob was given amazing care by his wife, Nancy, and his wonderful caregiver, Mrs. Myrna Brown, with an assist from Emma Deadner.
Bob absolutely loved his wife, Nancy, and his kids and grandkids, and they sure loved him back. He loved all sports, politicking, hunting, and golf. Bob loved being in a smokey bar, listening to live music, and dancing like a pro. He and Nancy would always draw attention with their graceful dancing skills. His loving family turned him into a Razorback fan even with those burnt orange roots. He still kind of liked those Longhorns, too.
Bob is survived by his soul mate and wife of 67 years, Nancy Sue Wilson Tullos; his loving daughter, Lynann (Kenny) Hill of Little Rock; and his loving son, Rob (Kerry) Tullos of Plano. He is also survived by three amazing grandkids, Beau (Mackenzie) Papan of New York, NY, Molly Tullos of Plano, TX, and Bobby Glen Tullos II, currently serving in the US Air Force in Germany. Bob is also survived by his brother-in-law, Richard Harris, Sr., and his super cool nieces and nephews, Richard, Nancy Ann, Heath, Nicole, Alyson, and John Boyd.
Bob’s memorial service will be at Texarkana Funeral Home on Monday, September 30, 2024, at 2:00 PM. Afterward, we will all meet at Fat Jack’s in Texarkana to toast Bob’s wonderful life.
Memorials can made to Williams Memorial Methodist Church at 4000 Moores Lane in Texarkana, TX at 75503 or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital at Memorial Giving, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
