Richard Robert "Bob" Morse's Obituary
Richard Robert “Bob” Morse, surrounded by his loved ones, was gently ushered into the arms of the Lord on December 27, 2025, following an aggressive and hard-fought battle with neurological degeneration. Though his body was worn by illness, his spirit remained unbroken. Now fully renewed and healed, Bob walks the golden streets of Heaven—where, as the ever-present protector, he takes his eternal post, standing watch from above.
Bob was known by many names, each reflecting the many lives he touched: Bob, Bobby, Bobito, Shipmate, The Texas Tornado, Chief, and, most treasured of all, Dad, Dad’n, and Pop-Pop—the names that captured his greatest pride and deepest joy.
Born on October 29, 1950, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, young Bobby spent his earliest years as the cherished center of his mother Kitty’s Irish Catholic family. As the only little one, Bobby was adored and doted on by his grandparents, Grandpop and Grandmom O’D, a loving circle of aunts—among them several devoted nuns—and his most treasured Aunt Peggy, whose presence remained close to his heart throughout his life.
When Bob was still very young, his family made their way to Texas, where he was lovingly raised by his parents, Kitty and Bleecker Morse, and where he would later welcome siblings and grow into his lifelong role as protector. Bob was a devoted big brother to Trey, Julie, and Kay—a role he carried with pride, loyalty, and a quiet sense of responsibility.
Bob grew up in San Antonio, graduating from Robert E. Lee High School before attending Texas A&M University, where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets. Compelled by a lifelong pull toward adventure, he left A&M and enlisted in the United States Navy in 1970. Serving as a Fire Control Technician, Bob worked aboard submarines and the historic USS Newport News, operating and maintaining electronic combat systems, including missile and torpedo guidance, weapons control, and complex computer networks. He was well-respected for his precision, intelligence, and steady resolve. During his Navy service, Bob formed lifelong friendships with his Fox Division shipmates, whose connection endured long after their time at sea.
Bob’s flair for adventure did not end with his military service. Upon his return to Texas, he launched the next defining chapter of his life—fire rescue and emergency response. Settling in Austin, Bob, alongside his father and brother Trey, physically built and established the Jollyville Fire Department in 1975, laying the foundation for what would become a decades-long commitment to serving and protecting others.
Bob and Trey held an inseparable bond marked by loyalty, laughter, and just enough “good” trouble to keep life interesting—the details of which will remain respectfully classified. It was Trey who later introduced Bob to his first wife, Sue. Together, they welcomed their daughter, Amanda, in 1980.
From the very beginning, Amanda recognized her Dad’n was a hero, likely because she was often whisked along in the backseat of Bob’s coveted Blazer, sirens blaring as emergency calls came in. Dad’n and Amanda shared countless adventures in that Blazer, from responding to rescue calls to “mudding” through the quarries of Cedar Park, Texas. Those rides were filled with country music, laughter, and the unmistakable feeling of security that only Dad’n could provide.
Bob’s dedication to fire rescue only deepened over time. What began as volunteer service became a defining calling. Over the decades, he rose through the ranks, ultimately serving as Fire Chief of the Cedar Park Fire Department. Ever the evolving hero, Bob underwent extensive training in fire suppression, emergency response, and rescue operations, eventually leading training himself, including specialized responses such as the Jaws of Life.
When he wasn’t wearing his cape, Bob put his technical expertise to work in his professional life, holding long tenures with Pitney Bowes and Coinstar, and later, even after “retirement,” continuing his service in high-level security roles.
In 1999, Bob met his great love and soulmate, Monica Espinosa Nobles. Their bond grew into a relationship defined by deep companionship, shared strength, and unwavering devotion. Monica became his partner, confidant, and constant through life’s later chapters, standing beside him with courage, grace, and steadfast love, and caring for him until his very last breath.
Through his life with Monica, Bob also embraced and deeply loved her daughters, Ilonka and Monica, and their children, Gary David, William, and Edward. Each of them deeply loved and cherished him in return. He regarded his expanded family with the same protectiveness, pride, and affection that defined all of his relationships. They were family by choice and held a special and irreplaceable piece of his heart.
In 2011, Bob donned one of his greatest titles—Pop-Pop—with the birth of his beloved grandson and sidekick, Sawyer Robert. Sawyer shared both a middle name and a special bond with Pop-Pop, especially in Bob’s final months, when Sawyer’s easy humor brought laughter and comedic relief, lifting Bob’s spirits when he needed it most. In 2013, Pop-Pop’s heart expanded once more with the arrival of his girl, Scarlett Mae—his personal baker, devoted cheerleader, and an endless wellspring of joy and love. Scarlett brought immeasurable sunshine to her Pop-Pop and could light up his face like no other, even as his days grew tender and few.
Bob was an avid outdoorsman who loved hiking, camping, and hunting—especially his yearly “Deer Camp” trips with his Navy shipmates, where the same friendships forged years earlier were renewed season after season, right up to the end. He attended survival camp and earned Sigma 3 certification, embracing the outdoors with both enthusiasm and skill. Bob could also fix just about anything if you asked. He was a master fixer-upper and builder, a legendary grillmaster unmatched in his brisket-smoking abilities, and a lover of cats, golf, peanut butter, and sweets, especially those prepared by his Scarlett.
Bob is preceded in death by his mother Catherine “Kitty” Theresa Morse, his father Bleecker Lansing Morse, Jr., and his brother, Bleecker “Trey” Lansing Morse, III (Linda).
He is survived by the many that adored him, including his love Monica Espinosa Nobles; his daughter Amanda Morse Koch (J.J.) and her mother, Carolyn Sue Morse, who remained Bob’s steadfast friend throughout his life; his step-children, Ilonka Nobles, Alonso Taylor, and Monica Nobles; his grandchildren, Sawyer Koch, Scarlett Koch, Gary David Nobles, William Nobles and Edward Nobles; his sisters, Julia DeGlandon (Larry, deceased) and Kathleen “Kay” Pate (Joe, deceased); his nieces and nephews, Ren Henry (Lee), Melissa Conlee (Billy), Max Gebhardt (Kaitlyn), and Tara Lundberg (Jason); and many others whose lives were made better by knowing him.
To those who loved him, Bob was the man who could do anything. He was strong, steady, and commanding—a larger-than-life presence always ready to step in and take care of things. For that reason, his initial Parkinson’s diagnosis in the spring of 2023 was difficult to comprehend, and his later rediagnosis with the rare and aggressive Multiple System Atrophy in January of 2025 was devastating. What followed was a swift and unforgiving decline, yet even then, Bob spoke of the things he would “take care of,” because protecting and providing for others was who he was at his core.
In keeping with his lifelong commitment to helping others, Bob’s final and extraordinary gift was the donation of his brain to research focused on neurodegenerative disorders which remain largely misunderstood, particularly atypical parkinsonism. Through this selfless act, his legacy of service continues.
A Memorial Service honoring Bob will be held on Wednesday, January 14, at 10:30 AM in the Wildwood Chapel at Restland Funeral Home, followed by Military Honors and Inurnment at 2:00 PM at the Dallas–Fort Worth National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that charitable contributions in memory of Richard “Bob” Morse be made to Brain Support Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting those affected by neurodegenerative disorders. Donations may be sent to Brain Support Network, PO Box 7264, Menlo Park, CA 94026, or made online at https://www.brainsupportnetwork.org.
Bob was a protector, a servant, a father, and a friend. Though deeply missed, he is now whole, at peace, and forever standing watch until the day his loved ones meet him again. And, we know for certain that as our Lord walked Bob up to the gates of Heaven, his parents, grandparents, beloved aunts, and his best friend and brother, Trey, stood ready to welcome him home—along with some prime rib and brisket, peanut butter pie, and likely a six-pack of Lone Star Beer.
I’ll be seeing you, Dad’n.
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