Roll Call Tribute

Robert W. "Bob" Lawless 

February 13, 1937 - August 10, 2024 

Dr. Robert “Bob” Lawless, 87, entered into the arms of his Savior on August 10, 2024, after several years of declining health.

Visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 14, at Combest Funeral Home. Funeral services will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 15, at First Christian Church, 2323 Broadway, Lubbock, Texas.

Bob was born on February 13, 1937 to Milton and Ambaline Mode Lawless in Baytown (then Goose Creek), Texas, where he grew up and graduated from Robert E. Lee High School. He earned an Associate of Science in Chemistry at Lee College and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Houston, while also working as a Lab Technician at Monsanto. He then acquired a PhD in Operations Research and Statistics from Texas A&M University.

Upon completing his education, Bob served as an Assistant Professor of Industrial Engineering at Texas A&M. From there, he spent 13 years at the University of Houston in varying capacities including Director of Doctoral programs in Business, Chair of the Management Science Department, Associate Dean of Business and Associate Chancellor and Senior Vice Chancellor. In 1982, Bob left higher education to become Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer for Southwest Airlines, moving to Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer in 1985. He returned to higher education in 1989 when he was named President of Texas Tech University and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, serving for 7 years as the last president of both institutions, prior to Texas Tech becoming a system. In 1996, he was named President of the University of Tulsa, retiring in 2004 as President Emeritus. Bob had a great love of sports and during his presidencies at both institutions, was actively involved with the NCAA , chairing various task forces, serving on the Division I Board of Directors and chairing the Executive Committee from 2001-2003. In retirement, and until he was 80, he continued to work as a Senior Search Consultant in higher education, assisting universities in finding candidates for senior positions within their institutions. Known for his honesty and integrity, it was his desire for excellence that became his hallmark in all that he did.

Bob gave his heart to the Lord as a young boy in Baytown, but it was not until his later years that he truly surrendered his life to Jesus. He said before he died that he most wanted to be remembered for being a follower of Christ. He understood regular worship and ongoing service to be at the very center of Christian practice. As members of the First Presbyterian Church in Tulsa, Bob and Marcy gave of themselves in a variety of leadership efforts including the co-leading of a major capital campaign from 2008-2012. In Lubbock, he was an active member of First Christian Church and the Seekers Sunday school class, and served as Chairman of the Board of Deacons and Chairman of the Finance Committee. He found much delight in his role over the last eight years of overseeing the church’s adoption of Bean Elementary School where he had numerous lunch buddies, tutored second graders in math and served as co-leader with Marcy for the Good News Club in sharing the love of Jesus with 2nd-5th graders. He was affectionately known throughout the halls of Bean as Grandpa Bob, and in retrospect, those were the areas of service that brought him the greatest joy.

Bob is survived by his beloved wife, Marcy; children: Chris Lawless of Dallas, Cheryl Manchac and husband, Buddy, of Dickinson, Diana Schroeder and husband, Jed, of Dallas, stepdaughter Kathryn Potocki and husband, Stan, of Lubbock; grandchildren: J.D. Schroeder, Garrett Schroeder, Caroline Potocki, Jonathan Potocki and wife, Landry, and Will Potocki; stepbrother, Vic Wratten and wife, Sandy.

He was predeceased by mother & stepfather, Ambaline and V.E. Wratten; father, Milton Lawless and stepbrother, Mike Wratten.