Robert Stanley Barnett

Bobby was born in El Paso, Texas, on July 31, 1957, to Robert (Bob) Barnett and Virginia Monzon. Because both of his parents were working professionals, Bobby would often spend the day being babysat at his grandma’s “banana house” on Porter Avenue, where they watched novelas while waiting for the “goo goo man” (mailman). The older of two brothers, Bobby grew up in Northeast El Paso and graduated from Irvin High in 1975. He was popular with his classmates and even took two dates to his senior prom. He kept his friends out of trouble by asking his dad (a police sergeant) which bars he was going to check on a given day, and advising them to hang out somewhere else.

Bobby and his family moved to Tennessee after graduation and returned to the Eastside of El Paso two years later. Around this time, he discovered his love for dirt racing, taking sponsored three-wheelers around the track with his friends. This passion evolved into turning wrench on sprint cars, taking Bobby on trips around the country and introducing him to the World of Outlaws racing series. The championship series in Knoxville, Iowa became an annual destination for Bobby and his father.

In 1989, Bobby was hired at Southwest Airlines. A dedicated ramp agent, he took day trips to Las Vegas throughout his career, even taking his future wife Stacy there on their second date. Bobby was proud that his position at Southwest enabled him to take his family on vacations around the country (including Vegas, of course).

Bobby married Stacy Peppel on April 23, 1994, and were married for nearly 23 wonderful years. Their son Scott was born February 28, 1996. Bobby and Stacy built two houses together, and welcomed Sparkle the golden retriever and Scout the terrier to the family in the years to follow.

He retired from Southwest on September 30, 2020, after over 30 years of service. He loved his job and all the people he worked with over the years, and maintained a laid-back, amiable work presence all the way up to his “farewell tour.” As he often said, “I enjoyed the ride.”

When not at work or traveling, Bobby enjoyed spending time in the El Paso/Las Cruces sprint car scene, attending Friday night races during the season. He was a booster of the Americas High School band from 2008-2011, and loved accompanying the “traveling circus” on end-of-season trips to California and San Antonio. He was a lifelong Dallas Cowboys fan, having attended several training camps with his father and his Uncle Joe in Thousand Oaks, California in the 1980s.

Bobby is preceded in death by his parents, Bob and Virginia. He is survived by his wife Stacy; his son, Scott; his brother, William (Sara), and nieces, Macy and Emily; and several extended family members around the country. Special thanks to the ICU staff at Providence East for their diligent care of Bobby in his last days. Due to the pandemic, there will not be a public service. In lieu of flowers, Bobby’s family invites all to share their fond memories of him online at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/el-paso-tx/robert-barnett-9980606.