A friend of mine died today. He was a work friend, but I knew more about his life than the majority of the people that I work with, so I consider him not a work friend but a real friend.
Bob L’Roy was a goofy goofy man. He smoked, drank, and cussed with the best of him, but he was loyal. He played the drums, liked camping and boating, and was an all around good guy. His desk at work was right in front of mine. Every time I look over my monitor I will miss him.
He went to UT back in the 60’s and got shot at by Charles Whitman. After staying in school as long as he possibly could, he got drafted into the Army and became an APC driver. He saw combat and was wounded when his APC drove over a Vietcong mine. It was a million dollar wound and he got to come back to the states.
He bummed around and started drumming for various jazz musicians, going on the road with them and making music his life. He enjoyed it, but he longed for something more sedentary. He eventually went back to school, learned programming, and started working with computers. He worked here and there for various companies programming in the 80’s, fixing things here, making things better there.
Eventually he and I started working together. He was friendly, affable, and liked to tell jokes. He and I talked a lot about his time at UT and the Army. He was quiet and considerate of others and never failed to make you feel welcome around him. Sometimes he would bore me to tears, telling me about some piece of programming he’d written that he was proud of, and how it still needed tweaking, but that was coming, and then later he’d tell me more, and man, it was dull, but he was proud of what he did, which is not something a lot of people can say with what they create.
I had planned to go see him tomorrow. I had hoped he would hang on, and I didn’t make it. He wasn’t conscience, and he wouldn’t have known I was there, but I feel guilty and selfish. He was there, laying there, and now he’s not.
He’s been dead about 2 hours now. My coworker talked to him about God once, and from what he heard Bob’s in pretty good hands right now. I hope he is.
Here’s his obit –
L’ROY, ROBERT F. Age 62, of Allen, Texas, passed away June 2, 2006, in Dallas, Texas. He was born April 22, 1944, in Carthage, Missouri, to Robert E. and Alice (Henson) L’Roy. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam Conflict and was a Purple Heart recipient. He was very active in the Dallas jazz music scene as a bassist, before receiving a Master’s of Computer Science Degree from East Texas State University Commerce. Mr. L’Roy last worked for SBC as a computer analyst in Irving. He is survived by many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. His parents preceded him in death. Visitation with the family will be from 6:00 to 9:00 P.M., Wednesday, June 7, 2006, at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home. A private interment will be at Ridgeview Memorial Park. To convey condolences or to sign an online registry, please visit:, www.tjmfuneral.com Turrentine Jackson Morrow Ridgeview Memorial Park Exit 38 N Central Expwy (972) 542-2601 turrentinejacksonmorrow.com
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Published in the Dallas Morning News on 6/6/2006.
Goodbye, Yeti Bob. I’ll see you someday.
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