Bobby and I were racquetball partners for the better part of two decades, playing weekly as partners and competing in various tournaments over the years. We also worked together for most of that period. Bobby was a gifted engineer, a great person, and had terrific left side court coverage!  Bobby also maintained an admirable stoicism during the tough parts of these last 5 years. It is with an uneasy and surreal uneasiness that I contemplate Bobby's passing.  It was far too early to loose such brave yet gentle soul. Rest in peace Bobby.

I met Bobby at Lockheed in the 80's and shared a cube with him for a while in the 90's.  Sharing a cube is kinda like dorm living- you spend time talking regularly with people you might not have otherwise.  Our cube time together allowed Bobby to explain Texas Band Kid culture and importance as well as the world of role-play gaming and more.    Bobby was a great cube mate because he was a great guy.  I will miss you, Cubie Bobby.

Last week I lost a dear friend.  Bobby put up a valiant fight for 5 years, but now his fight is over.  His pain, lack of breath, loss of memory and other challenges have been taken away and Bobby can rest in peace.  While his pain may be gone, those of us that are left behind now bear our own pain.  We have this pain because we loved Bobby and now our lives have a void that we can’t replace.  With Bobby gone I have lost my guide to sci-fi and fantasy books, I have lost my dive buddy, I have lost the guy that always teased me about my “last-century music”, I have lost the opportunity to share and compare photos, I have lost the chance to go back to Eddie V’s for another tomahawk steak with good wine and so much, much more.  I have lost all these things only because I once had them with Bobby.  While the losses are devastating the real tragedy would have been if Kim and I had never met Bobby and Deb, and did all the wonderful things that we did together.  We traveled, we dined, we laughed, we drank, we dove, we played games, we LIVED!  Bobby knew how to live and he was living life as full as he could right up to the end.  Always, always with an amazing positive attitude.  My life was enriched by his life and I am better for knowing him, and now I am missing him.  Bobby may be physically gone, but he will never leave my heart.  Rest in peace Bobby Tannert.

I am so crushed that the beautiful human is no more.  Though I have known him for more than 30 years since I first met him through Brian Schenk, it was only in the last few years that he really became a friend.  I deeply regret that it took so long, but am very grateful for all the time that we have spent together.  Its hard to look at your gaming seat with out tearing up right now, but I am sure we'll see your spirit grinning back at us if we just look hard enough.

No one who met Bobby would be in doubt that he was smart, sweet and fun to be with, but being in friendship with the wonderful family that he and Debbie built has been one of the great pleasures of my life.  Rest well and enjoy laying down the pains and burdens of life, my friend.  Your absence leaves the world a poorer place, but our memories of you, your joy and thirst for adventures of all kinds leave us all much richer than we were before we met.

Given Bobby's varied interests one would meet and form a relationship with Bobby on any one of those pursuits. Mine was on a racquetball court.

I usually met Bobby three times a week on a racquetball court. Initially at Lifetime Fitness and later at LA fitness.  While competition on the court was fierce ,the chat afterwards was always open and giving. I learned a lot about his love of music, his travels to West Texas and his scuba adventures in Belize. And I longed that one day I will tag along and experience the beauty of it all.

In the last few years he had the shared the PAIN and the less painful days. And, so, I was always trilled to see him at the court. Things were OK.

So, it is sad to hear that he is no more.

He was a decent man and a beautiful human being.

May his soul rest in peace.

Shobha and I send send our prayers and condolences.

dilip and shobhana

We loved our Uncle Bobby. Even though I was afraid of his long ponytail when I was little and called him Swiper the Sly Fox, he made me giggle. Bobby was always so good at those brain puzzles and could figure them out so fast. 
We always enjoyed spending time with him. 

Dave and I are are saddended in learning the loss of Bobby.  Our sincere condolences to the Tannert Family.  Debbie, may the beautiful memories of Bobby sustain you and your family  during these sad and hardened times .   May his Soul Rest in Peace.


What can I say,  games is what brought us together and over the course of nearly a decade his family grew to be my family.  Between gaming, and birthday celebrations, general hanging out  and going to concerts together, I love the man dearly and my heart has a hole in it that is all Bobby. I will miss our banter, and our “I hate sitting downstream from Brian” comments, the sarcasm, the games,  the laughs the tea and wine. One of my favorite memories is watching him emulate his character’s “quirk” when playing Heroes Wanted, it was genius. Like Elijah the prophet, I will place a tea cup and a wine glass at the gaming table in your place in hopes that you will appear when I open the door. Love and miss you my friend. 

We loved and had a lot of respect for Bobby.
He is at peace now and no pain.
He has his wings now and is watching over his loved ones and taking care of them.
We will miss him. 

Bob &  Rita Tower

Thank you Bobby for allowing me to be a part of your life.   I enjoyed working with you and your brilliant mind in the morning  and sharing tea with you in the afternoon.  I enjoyed going to concerts and fabulous dinners with you and Deb.   I have fond memories of our earlier travel adventures with just you and Deb and then very special memories when the kids could join us.  You are a very special person and will be deeply missed.  Thank you for sharing yourself.

We will miss Bobby and as was stated, he lived life to the fullest. I have fond memories of family vacations to Hawaii, the Grand Tetons and Seattle.  He loved to be challenged mentally and had a knack for just figuring stuff out. He had a great sense of humor, a love for games and books, and a wonderful family who will miss him dearly but will greatly benefit from his legacy. Hats off to you BT. 

I will always remember my dad as an adventurer. He introduced us to foods like escargot and sushi, he showed us far corners of the world, and taught us to live life to the fullest. He never managed to order pizza on the phone, but he managed to give my brother and I a view of the world far beyond our just-outside-of-Austin home. He gave us his love of games, logic, yoga, fencing, SCUBA, music, building, and reading. Dad worked hard, but also made sure to take time to enjoy the fruits of his labor. Dad showed me a balance in life to strive for, and I will miss him greatly. 

Well, while this departure is too soon ,  as I have been reflecting on Bobby and his life ,   the thought that keeps coming back is that his was a life well lived .  Bobby was a good husband ,  a good father , was a good worker  , put up with all of us —Debbie’s family — with grace and a smile ,  and was a contributor to all of us that knew him .   Again,  while I would want him to be here longer ,   what is coming through loud and clear is that he lived life very well .   Well done Bobby ,  WELL DONE !!!!!

Bobby was a very special brother-in-law. He was smart, techy, with a quick sense of humor and always had a smile. He loved adventure, liked to travel and scuba dive. He was a brave warrior in his battle against cancer. Bobby loved Debbie and Christina and Jonathan so very much.  We will miss him. 

OBITUARY

Bobby Tannert

November 24, 1962 – December 14, 2018

Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial Park

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