Robert (Bob) Bruce Batchelder

ROBERT (Bob) BRUCE BATCHELDER (age 95) completed his baptism in death at his residence in Sunrise Senior Living, Frisco, Texas on September 19, 2019. He was surrounded with loving care as he departed this life and entered his eternal rest.

Bob was predeceased by Ruth, his loving wife of 69 years. He is survived by 3 children: Kathy, married to Scott Turner; David, married to Nancy (Geddes); Janet, married to Richard Baird; 10 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren: Mark Batchelder, and his wife Veronica (and their children - Olivia and Jonathan); Jocelyn, married to Stephen Mathewes (and their children - Ruth, Lucas, and Irene); Heidi Batchelder; Kevin Turner, married to Jo Anne (Mueller); Philip Turner; Scott Batchelder, married to Danielle (Osbun); John Batchelder, married to Helen (Lee); William Baird; Andrew Baird; and Kimberly Baird. Bob and Ruth had a fourth child, Richard, who died shortly after birth.

Bob was born November 25, 1923 in Seattle Washington to Muriel and George Batchelder, an electrical engineer for the Great Northern Railroad. He attended Lincoln High School after finishing 8th grade at Daniel Bagley School.  In 1941, he worked in the Seattle Tacoma Shipyards as a sheet metal worker on Fletcher class destroyers while taking postgraduate courses at Lincoln High School. Upon finishing school, he applied to the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corp at the University of Washington. After successfully taking the exam and completing the training program, he was commissioned as Ensign in the USN Reserve where he served aboard the USS Wasp 1942-1944. Bob was in the gunnery department on the bridge with the foremost starboard anti-aircraft quad Bofors mount. He saw action in the Saipan and Trinian operations in June of 1944 under Admiral Hawlsley. He was awarded three medals for the Asiatic Pacific Campaign, Victory Medal and the American Campaign. Post-WW II, Bob remained an active naval reservist until 1983 when he retired with the rank of Commander. Following the war in 1945, Bob returned to the Seattle area to finish his undergraduate degree in Meteorology at the University of Washington. Here, in the cartography department, he met his future wife Ruth Cross. Postgraduate studies led him to Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and it was during this time that he and Ruth were married in 1948. After being awarded his PhD in Geography, he and Ruth moved with their first child, Kathy, to Nacogdoches, Texas where he taught at Stephen F. Austin University and had their second child, a son, David.  In 1953, the family moved to the Boston area after Bob joined the faculty of Boston University ’s Department of Geography. He achieved a distinguished teaching career of 38 years at BU, rising to become “full professor,” a position from which he retired in May 1988. During this time in New England, Bob and Ruth had two additional children; Richard (deceased) and Janet.

Bob and Ruth were a formidable team working together in many endeavors. Of notable distinction was their work with the Host Family Program with international students in Boston. Bob was a longtime member of Newton Presbyterian Church where he served as an elder, chairperson of the Student Fund for Christian Education (which offered grants to individuals pursuing full time Christian ministry), choir member, and teacher of the Men’s Bible Class. Throughout his long retirement, Bob sang tenor in the Needham’s Retired Men’s Glee Club, and pursued hobbies of gardening, classical music, reading, travel and entertaining – which showcased his role of ‘salad chef!’ During the last years of their married life, Bob was a devoted husband caring for Ruth during her declining years.

Bob’s family is extremely grateful for the kindness, care and compassion shown by Sunrise Senior Living, CarePlus Hospice, and the deacons and church family at West Plano Presbyterian Church.  A Vigil for family and friends to offer thankful remembrances will be held from 7-9pm on Friday, November 1 st at the West Plano Presbyterian Church (2709 Custer Road, Plano, TX 75023). A Funeral Service will be held at the West Plano Presbyterian Church on Saturday November 2 nd , at 1:30 PM. A reception will follow. The family has asked that, in lieu of flowers, gifts can be made to the Memorial Fund of West Plano Presbyterian Church. (http://westplanopresbyterian.org/wordPress/)