Robert Tonetti

Robert (Ozzie) Hyde Tonetti began his fantastic journey through life on October 28, 1937 at Florence Nightingale Hospital in Dallas, Texas to his joyous parents, Joseph Lawrence Tonetti and Susan Hyde Tonetti. Robert grew up with his three siblings, Mary, Joe Jr., and John. His parents moved their family to Fort Worth, Texas, a few years later.

Robert attended Daggett and Lilly B Clayton public schools. He then attended Pascal High School for two years before attending The Choate School in Wallingford, Connecticut. Robert began his college career at the University of Pennsylvania, then changed his major from architecture to engineering, prompting him to transfer to the University of Texas, in Austin, where he earned a Master of Civil Engineering degree and Bachelor of Arts degree in business.

Melinda Smith Tonetti, was the love of Robert’s life. Melinda met Robert in high school when he was dating her best friend. Fortunately, the girl’s mother did not approve of Robert and so their relationship ended. Robert went to her best friend Melinda for sympathy, and they fell madly in love and the rest is history. Robert and Melinda were very much in love and got married shortly after their sophomore year at U.T.

After graduating from college, Robert went to work in New Orleans, Louisiana, for the California Oil Company. He began his career working on an offshore drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico. To keep Melinda from worrying, many years passed before Robert told her that he took the position of a man who had been killed on the oil rig just weeks before. After working a year and a half in New Orleans, Robert took a job in construction, which would become his life’s work. He worked for W.S. Bellows Construction Company, in Houston, Texas, for several years before starting his own company, R.H. Tonetti Construction Company, in the early seventies. Robert successfully operated his construction company in Houston for over thirty years.

Robert and Melinda purchased their first and only home in West University Place after moving back to Texas from Louisiana. Many beautiful and lasting memories were made in their home on Westchester Avenue where they raised their three children. During their marriage, Robert and Melinda were blessed with three children. Their first child, Robert Jr., was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and David came soon after in New Orleans, Louisiana. Anne arrived six years later in Houston, Texas. Anne and her husband Clint DuBose have blessed Robert and Melinda with two grandchildren, Max and Lauren, who have brought much joy and pride to Robert and Melinda.

Robert’s main hobby was gourmet cooking. He and Melinda received a copy of The Joy of Cooking and Julia Childs’ first cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, for a first-year wedding anniversary in 1959, and the cooking began. He would tackle any recipe in those books and prepare wonderful gourmet meals for dinner parties with friends and family. It was always a treat to visit the Tonetti’s home for a superb homecooked dinner.

For the past forty years, Robert and Melinda have owned a ranch in Coryell County, where he had a cow and calf operation. It was always a delight to visit the ranch, measure the rain gauge, and watch the grass grow. Robert and Melinda loved to travel, and they have been all over the world. In their younger days they would take their family to Vail, Colorado, for skiing trips each winter. Later in life, they would travel to South Fork Colorado, where they escaped the hot Texas summers with friends and family at their beautiful vacation home on Beaver Creek Mountain.

Robert was an exceptional person who was loved by all, and we are grateful for the time we have had with him in our lives. A celebration of life and reception will be held at Earthman Funeral Home at 4525 Bissonnet Street, Bellaire, Texas, 77401, on January 21, 2023, at 2:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Robert’s favorite charities. Robert enjoyed supporting Tunnels to Towers, Channel 8 PBS in Houston, Texas, and M.D. Anderson Hospital.