June 2nd, 1928 — June 26th, 2024
Bob Troxell, 96, of Beaumont, formerly of Port Arthur, passed away peacefully surrounded by family June 26, 2024. He was born in Milliken, Colorado to Mabel and Robert Troxell. During his childhood in Longmont, Colorado, Bob was very interested in aviation and started building and flying model airplanes. He also enjoyed skiing and fishing with his brother, Larry, and other friends. During summers he worked in the garage of his father’s dealership, Troxell Chevrolet. He graduated from Longmont High School and went on to attend the University of Colorado (CU) and earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Upon graduation from CU, Bob was drafted into the Army during the Korean War. After basic training, the Army assigned Bob to work with a team of rocket scientists at the Ordnance Missile Laboratories in Huntsville, AL, led by Werner Von Braun. This team developed the “Redstone Rocket” which launched Explorer 1, the first U.S. orbital satellite. A later variation carried the first two U.S. Astronauts into space. After his military service, Bob married his high school sweetheart, Martha Pennock, and accepted a job in the Engineering Department at Texaco Inc. in Port Arthur, Texas. Bob was well known for being able to fix virtually anything that needed fixing. Most evenings he could be found in his garage working on either his own kid’s or a neighborhood kid’s bicycle, go kart, motorcycle or overhauling the engine of his Corvair. Bob was a music enthusiast and enjoyed listening to everything from Glenn Miller to Bob Dylan and hometown favorite Janis Joplin, and he was a longtime subscriber to Rolling Stone magazine. He was an avid reader of the Wall Street Journal and his local newspapers and read them from front to back on a daily basis. Bob retired from Texaco in 1982 after more than 30 years of service and began enjoying his many hobbies which included black & white photography, auto mechanics and spending time with Martha at their cabin in Estes Park, CO. Bob loved the rich history of the “Golden Triangle” and enjoyed volunteering as a docent at the Museum of the Gulf Coast where he took many groups of children from local schools on tours of the museum. Most of all, Bob (aka “Pop”) loved spending time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren where he put his mechanical skills to use building kites, model rockets and other things to help them learn while also having “a blast”.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Larry Troxell, his beloved wife of 66 years, Martha Pennock Troxell, and his daughter, Dr. Cynthia Troxell-Murphy of Boulder, CO. Bob is survived by his children, Donna Oberle and husband Frank of Beaumont; Steve Troxell and wife Nettie of Katy; Cynthia’s husband, Dr. Daniel Murphy and honorary daughter-in-law, Dr. Barbara Abrahams, of Boulder, Colorado; grandchildren, Dr. Bobby Oberle (wife Priscilla); Lindsey Oberle Ramey (husband Joseph Ramey); Sarah Troxell (husband Alex Mileant); Stephanie Troxell (husband Euan Leith); Natalie Troxell; Shelby Troxell (husband Josh Holtz); Miles Murphy and Maggie Murphy; great-grandchildren, Joseph (Tripp) Ramey, Robert Louis (Louie) Ramey, Ryan Oberle, Benjamin Oberle, Sloane Oberle and George Oberle.
People who knew Bob describe him as a humble, true gentleman. His greatest joys were his family, friends and relatives. He was an inspiration to the lives of his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, by sharing his knowledge through mentoring and always striving to set a good example.
The family would like to give a special thanks to Bob’s doctors and caregivers who were instrumental in helping him over the last couple of years, especially Catherine Datar, Debra Arline, Marie Kruttlin, Mary Ann Breaux, Joje Frantz, and the amazing personal care given by Dr. John Henderson.
A graveside memorial service for family will be held at a future date in Longmont, Colorado. Friends wishing to make memorial contributions may send them to The Museum of the Gulf Coast, 700 Procter Street, Port Arthur, TX 77642