Robert "Bob" Louis Tench, 87, received the best Christmas present of all time, Saturday, December 24, 2016, getting to meet his Lord and Savior, after a brief illness and hospice stay in Sonora, Texas.
Bob was born in East Orange, New Jersey on April 19, 1929.
He spent the majority of his youth in Arizona where his three siblings still reside.
Bob enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1948, serving aboard the U.S.S. Eldorado as an Electronic Technician during the Korean War.
He thoroughly enjoyed attending the ship's annual reunion and catching up with former shipmates. The most recent reunion was in Portland, Oregon this past September.
After leaving the Navy, he went to work for Northrup Aviation, a contractor for the military, which sent him to Cape Canaveral and then to Greenland and Alaska to work.
Eventually, Bob went to work for Philco as an electrical engineer "by experience".
It was while Bob worked for this company that he was transferred to Texas, which he claimed as his home.
Bob began his journey with the Masonic Lodge in 1962 in Palo Alto, CA.
He was a 32nd degree Master Mason, affiliated with Kerrville Lodge No. 697 A.F. & A.M.; member of Chapter 17 National Sojourners, San Antonio; and Alamo Camp, Heroes of 76.
While living in Clear Lake City, Texas, Bob joined the Clown Jewels unit of the Arabia Shrine Temple of Houston, Texas.
He created the character of "Pupi", short for "Purple Pirate".
Bob designed the make-up and costumes, sewed his costumes and developed his clown's persona.
He wanted his character to be "tall". So at the age of 43, Bob taught himself to walk on stilts outside in his front yard; including a few falls on the unforgiving surface.
Eventually he mastered this skill and could even dance while wearing them, bringing "oohs and ahh's" from those who saw him perform.
Bob spent forty years clowning for the Shrine Circus, never missing a single performance and delighting both children and adults with his "larger than life" personality.
In 1982 he won Top “White Face” Clown in the Nation. Bob also clowned for the Shriner's Crippled Children's Hospital in Houston and the Shriner's Burn Institute in Galveston.
He rarely spoke about his visits to the Burn Institute where he saw children in incredible pain; attempting to distract them for a brief moment. Each floor at this hospital requires a stronger stomach and thicker skin due to the fact that the higher the floor the more severe the burn.
Bob took with pride that he was able to finally entertain the children on the fourth floor of this hospital.
When Bob moved to Comfort in 1985, he held a variety of jobs while becoming acquainted with the people of the area.
He was elected Justice of the Peace, Precinct 3, for Kerr County in 1992.
He was well suited for this position as Bob had a natural curiosity about people and a sense of fairness which he brought into his courtroom.
The American Legion presented him with the Outstanding Service Award for the Community of Kerrville for 1995-1996.
He served at the pleasure of Kerr County for 10 years.
Although he visited all fifty states and several foreign countries in his life, Bob considered Texas his home. He liked to tell folks he "lived in Comfort just above Welfare" where he resided for the last thirty-one years.
Bob was a Father, Grandfather, Brother, Patriot and Friend.
He is survived by his son, Ross Tench and wife Karen of Stephenville, three daughters, Sally Bruno and husband Nick of Turner, ME, Susan Hall and husband Stephen of Sonora and Sheri Kennedy and David Smith of Houston and nine grandchildren.
He is also survived by his sisters Barbara Evans and Ruth Tasa, both of Cottonwood, AZ, and a brother James Tench of Wickenburg, AZ as well as his longtime and best friend, Richard W. Schultze of Centerpoint.
Services were held Friday, December 30th, at St. Johns Episcopal Church, Sonora and a Masonic Service followed.
We will miss our Purple Pirate, until we see him again.
