Robert "Bob" Wirt Paddock

Robert “Bob” Wirt Paddock passed peacefully from this life on Sunday, the 25th of January 2026, surrounded by family who adored him. He lived well beyond the typical course of glioblastoma, something that surprised no one who knew his strength and determination. He was 81 years old.

Bob was born on the 18th of September 1944, in Fort Worth, Texas, the youngest child of Betty Lawton Paddock and Burton Buckley Paddock. He was deeply proud of his Fort Worth roots and his family’s long history there. His great-grandfather, Captain B.B. Paddock, often called “Mr. Fort Worth”, played a pivotal role in the city’s early development and served four terms as mayor from 1892 to 1900. Throughout his life, Bob remained especially close to his siblings, his brother Bill and his sister, Mickey, who became lifelong friends.

Bob attended Paschal High School before enrolling at The University of Texas at Austin. At U.T., he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. Bob enjoyed participating in Fiji Intramurals in football, baseball and track. Later he was inducted into the Intramurals Hall of Fame. It was at U.T. that he met Carol Ann Weber of Beaumont, Texas. He graduated with a degree in Liberal Arts in 1966. After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served one year in Vietnam. Carol Ann and Bob married in 1967, a life together that lasted 58 years.

Bob built a successful career as a stockbroker, beginning at Rauscher Pierce and continuing through Lovett, Mitchell, Webb and Garrison, and later Wachovia Securities. In a meaningful late-career transition, he became Vice President of Development for the Greater Houston Community Foundation, where he seamlessly combined his financial expertise with his passion for philanthropy.

Service was a part of who he was. He served on the boards of numerous organizations, including Chinquapin Prep School, re:MIND, Hospitality Apartments, DePelchin Children’s Center, the Duddleston Foundation, Houston Country Club, and the Transformation Foundation of Texas. At St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, he was on the vestry and a member of the stewardship committee. These roles not only allowed him to give back but also gifted him with lifelong friendships. Carol Ann and Bob loved traveling the world with friends and family.

Above all else, Bob cherished his family. Carol Ann and Bob raised three children—Stacey, Robert, and Richard—and Bob was a constant presence in their lives. He coached nearly every sport they played, undeterred by a lack of experience. When he volunteered to coach Stacey’s soccer team, he simply went to the library and learned the game. A natural and lifelong athlete, Bob ran multiple marathons, including a sub-three-hour race that qualified him for the Boston Marathon. Over time, his athletic pursuits evolved from running to swimming, aerobics, yoga, and eventually golf. He instilled in his children a love of fitness, service, and family, and they wanted to be just like him.

In 1969, Bob’s family grew when his widowed mother, Betty, married Sam Hunt, blending the Paddock and Hunt families into one extended clan. Though spread across the country, the families gathered for 25 reunions over 50 years, most recently this past August in the Adirondacks—occasions Bob treasured deeply. He also became the patriarch of the Weber family, presiding joyfully over annual Memorial Day gatherings and challenging his sons and nephews to keep pace with him on the golf course.

As a father and grandfather, Bob was exceptionally present. He rarely missed an event: Grandparents ’Day, Veterans’ Day services, school performances, recitals, or athletic competitions of every kind. Known as both “Papa” and “Bob,” he delighted in simple joys with his grandchildren: McDonald’s breakfasts, ice cream treats, and enthusiastic cheering from the sidelines. His legacy of love, faith, and character lives on clearly in his children and grandchildren.

Those who knew Bob often remarked on the immediate sense that there was something special about him. With a twinkle in his eye and genuine warmth, he drew people in effortlessly. He was kind, engaging, and deeply interested in others, making friendships feel easy and enduring.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, Betty and Burton Paddock; his stepfather, Sam Hunt; his stepbrother, Tom Hunt; his brother-in-law, Jim Weber; and his nephew, Jon Weber.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Carol Ann Weber Paddock; his children - Stacey Paddock Malcolmson (Ken), Robert Lawton Paddock (Courtney), and Richard Buckley Paddock (Amy); his brother William “Bill” Paddock (Tita); his sister, Mary Taliaferro “Mickey” Griffin (Ike); his step-siblings Don Hunt (Jane), Penny Hunt, and Trish Preheim (Tim); his sister-in-law Karen Weber; his grandchildren Luke Weber Paddock, Hayes Matteson Paddock, Caroline Reese Paddock, James Burton Paddock, Turner Lawton Paddock, Ben Malcolmson (Brittney), and Clay Malcolmson; and numerous nieces and nephews across the Paddock, Hunt and Weber families.

Bob’s family extends heartfelt gratitude to the exceptional team at MD Anderson, led by Dr. Barbara O’Brien, and to all who supported Bob and Carol Ann with love and care during this difficult time.

A memorial service is to be conducted at one o’clock in the afternoon on Monday, the 2nd of February, at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, 717 Sage Road in Houston. Immediately following, all are invited to a reception in Bagby Hall. Bob repeatedly said he didn’t like black at funerals, so please join us in wearing bright, joyful colors.

For those unable to attend, virtual attendance may be accessed by selecting the "Join Livestream" icon in the service section below.

In lieu of customary remembrances, contributions may be made to the Hospitality Apartments, P.O. Box 25213, Houston, TX 77265; St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, St. Martin’s at 717 Sage Road, Houston, TX 77056; or DePelchin Children’s Center, 4950 Memorial Drive

Houston, Texas 77007 or by visiting the links below under "Donations".

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