Robert Riner

Robert B. "Bob" Riner, age 89, of Abbott, passed away peacefully early Thursday afternoon, July 9, 2020 at his residence, with his wife and their animals in attendance. Bob leaves a significant legacy in his personal life. He was born September 29, 1930 in Wichita Falls, TX, the son of the late Adley and Laura (Bennett) Riner. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 43 years, Robbie (Walling), who died suddenly in 1998. He is survived by his wife of 7 months, Tamara (Bickell); his sister, Dorthy Jo Hall; his daughter, Bobette Connelly of Houston and her husband, Richard; his son, Robert “Rob” of Arlington and his wife, Marilyn; a grandson, Patrick Connelly; three granddaughters, Karleigh, Mason and Nataleigh Riner, and several step-grandchildren. Bob also left quite a legacy in his career: In more than 30 years as an electrical engineer with TXU, he designed transmission lines spanning West and North Texas that to this day “keep the lights on.” Before that, he was one of the few who served as a lieutenant in the elite, 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army. It was only a natural leap (pun intended) from being a paratrooper to serve as a lineman on transmission lines, for what is now TXU in Dallas. The latter was a brief stint early in his career to better train as a transmission engineer. He worked for the same utility for more than 30 years, quite an anomaly in today’s energy industry. When Bob finally retired to his farm, his own personal paradise in central Texas, he continued to scale the heights: At 70, he went bungee jumping with his beloved son, Rob! The family will host A Celebration Of His Life at a later date, when it is more prudent to gather.