Bobby Earl Rich

April 2, 1937 – April 22, 2025

On April 22, 2025, surrounded by his family, Bobby Earl Rich passed away peacefully in Sugar Land, Texas, leaving behind a legacy of love, laughter, and countless memories that will continue to live on in all of us.

Bobby had a rich and varied working life, full of drive and dedication. His strong work ethic began early - as a teen, he held many jobs - he threw the Dallas Morning Newspaper, swept and mopped the high school, and ran the projector at Mt. Vernon’s first movie theater. He later worked as a surveyor for the Texas Highway Department, helping map out the highways of northeast Texas.

While starting a family, Bobby took night classes to study drafting — a skill he quickly mastered. This opened the door to his life’s work in petroleum chemical engineering, starting with Brown & Root in 1965 when he moved his family to Houston. He spent the longest stretch of his career with Fish Engineering, retiring in 2003. Following retirement, Bobby enjoyed “working” as a golf marshal at Quail Valley and Greatwood Golf courses and serving on the Board of Directors for several Houston area Municipal Utility Districts.

In 1979, Bobby married his loving wife, Genevieve (Jean) Sykora Rich, and together they shared nearly 46 years of marriage. They enjoyed all that Houston had to offer — the great restaurants, Astros baseball games, the nearby coast, and countless cookouts (Bobby grilled some of the best hamburgers and steaks this side of the Mississippi) and family gatherings. They cherished spending time with their children and grandchildren in Virginia, Washington D.C., Denver, and Austin, creating lasting memories of the times spent together.

Bobby and Jean loved to travel, visiting England, Mexico, the Caribbean, and many parts of the US. They always stayed connected to their roots though, frequently visiting their hometowns of Mt. Vernon and El Campo, and seeing family and friends as often as possible.

Outside of work, Bobby was a man of many talents and passions. He had a knack for drawing cartoon characters, often creating hilarious sketches of family members. He also had a competitive side — as a Mt. Vernon Tiger (class of 1955), he played football, baseball, and helped the Tigers win the Texas championship in basketball. Later in life, Bobby still enjoyed competing whether playing golf, ping pong, or a game of 42 dominoes with the family.

Bobby had a quiet faith based on Christianity and God’s Word. He loved working with church youth for many years, often driving buses to pick them up to bring them to church; and he quietly served behind the scenes on various church committees over the years. His faith shaped his values, his relationships, and the way he showed up for his family and community.

Bobby is survived by his sister, Martha (Rich) Phillips and her husband, Tommy Phillips; his daughter, Donna (Rich) Taylor and her husband, Kirk Taylor; his son, Robert Kent Rich; his grandson, Austin Taylor and his wife, Jessica Taylor; his granddaughter, Kirsten Taylor and her partner, Laine Gerdes; and his great-grandchildren: Jay (7), Abbi (5), Jamie (3), and Jordan (2) Taylor, as well as many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.

He is also joined in spirit by his beloved wife, Genevieve, and other family members who preceded him in death, including his parents, Gattis and Roba (Vinyard) Rich; his sister, Charlene (Rich) Bond and her husband, Joe Bond; his brother, Bill Rich and his wife, Joann; his brother, Buster Rich and his wife, Joy; and his step-son, Kenneth Berndt.

There will be a graveside celebration of his life near Mt. Vernon, Texas at Purley Cemetery, 309 FM 900, Mount Vernon, TX 75457 on May 24, 2025 at 11 am. Family and friends are invited to a luncheon at First Baptist Church of Mount Vernon, TX (319 Kaufman St. in Mount Vernon) immediately following the graveside gathering.

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In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Bobby’s memory to St. John’s United Methodist Church, 400 Jackson St, Richmond, Texas 77469 or a charity of your choosing.