February 19, 1948 – October 21, 2020
Arlington, Texas
Robert Newton Alanis, husband, father, grandfather, insurance professional and aspiring professional musician, carpenter, golfer, and gardener died on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 from Covid-19.
Robert was born in Ft. Sam Houston, TX in Bexar County, to Daniel Cerda Alanis Jr. and Frances Augusta Polvogt. Growing up as the middle child in a family of five brothers in Bandera, Texas. Robert described himself “a perfectionist like my mother and somewhat disciplined like my father; somewhat of a romanticist like my mother.” His mother was “No BS… but was very encouraging for whatever her boys where trying to do.”
Although Bandera was a small town, Robert’s sense of adventure was much larger. Growing up in a town where most folks listened to Ray Price and Hank Williams, Robert rebelled by listening to rock and roll, which “drove my parents mad!” As a boy, he spent summers in Steamboat Springs, Colorado with his aunt, Bet. He loved Bet’s “cool REAL log cabin home” nestled between Mt. Werner and Sleeping Giant Mountain. Bet taught him how to fish for trout and to swim at the local hot springs when he was just six years old. When he was twelve years old, Daniel and Francis took the family to California for vacation. They visited Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm and Marineland and went horseback riding in the hills, which left a long-lasting impression on Robert. Robert enjoyed being an active member of the Boy Scouts of America and proudly achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He spent several summers at Camp La Junta for Boys in Hunt, Texas as both a camper and later, as a counselor.
Robert graduated from Bandera High School in 1966 and enrolled at North Texas State University and majored in insurance in order to follow in his father’s footsteps. With the Vietnam War on, Robert joined the Army Reserves, and after basic training he returned to Denton, Texas to continue his college education. In 1968 computers were coming of age and Robert was able to use what he learned in the US Army to land his first job at Texas Women’s University, wiring the control panels for large computers. Robert recently remembered this work and described it as a “good experience”. Robert graduated from North Texas State University with a BBA in Insurance in 1972.
Music was a lifelong passion for Robert. He started playing the piano at an early age and gave his first formal recital at the age of ten. He was invited to perform in Steamboat Springs, and a story about the concert was published in the local newspaper. Robert later taught himself to play the guitar. He formed a band called ‘Them What’s Got’ with friends while at North Texas State University and played guitar and lead vocals. In a twist of fate, Them What’s Got played with Don Henley (later on of The Eagles), but they didn’t like his style and kicked him out of the band.
Robert met the love of his life, Victoria Elaine Torti, on a blind date in the Fall of 1968. They hit it off immediately and spent the night dancing and laughing. After a whirlwind romance, the two were engaged and married in Dallas, Texas on October 18, 1969. Robert and Victoria were blessed with their first child, Paul Vincent on August 25, 1971. After graduation from college, Robert moved the family to San Antonio, Texas to join his father and older brother Danny at the family’s insurance agency. After gaining some good experience, Robert then joined the Fireman’s Fund agency in San Antonio, Texas. On June 22, 1973 the couple were overjoyed to add their second child, Mark Christopher.
Robert moved the family to Austin, Texas after accepting a leadership position with Texas National Agency. After making a name for himself there over the next four years, Robert received the opportunity in 1981 to open his own branch office for Texas National Agency in Arlington, Texas, where he spent the remainder of his life. After the agency was sold many years later, Robert retired from Texas National Agency and joined his brother Danny as an insurance adjuster, where he enjoyed helping people recover from major disasters.
Robert and Victoria shared an adventurous spirt and have spent nearly 40 years traveling the world together. Robert loved historic sites, sampling local food and wine, and meeting new and interesting people. Always together, he and Victoria explored Sweden, Denmark, Paris, Rome, Athens, Cyprus, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Cape Town, Sydney, Moscow, the Caribbean, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Toronto and Montreal just to name a few locations.
Robert loved the outdoors and shared this love with Victoria and his sons. He enjoyed taking the family camping and fishing, and later water skiing and snow skiing. Some of the family’s favorite memories were shared on the slopes of New Mexico and Colorado. Robert took his boys to Philmont, New Mexico for 2 weeks of hiking the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, providing what might just be the ultimate father-son experience and memories that will last a lifetime. Robert’s passion and love for the outdoors included his own back yard. There, he combined his green thumb and woodworking skills to create his own ‘Texawaii’ garden oasis, built around a huge Plumeria tree that he grew from a cutting he brought back from Hawaii 30 years ago.
Upon the birth of his first grandchild, Parker Dwain Alanis, Robert became affectionately known as ‘BD’, (short for ‘Big Daddy’) and spent the next 18 years watching his 5 grandchildren grow and helping guide and encourage them in their own adventures. To them, BD was larger than life and could teach them how to do pretty much anything.
Robert and Victoria were married for 51 years. They spent their 50th anniversary last fall in London and Paris, still enjoying the same whirlwind romance they shared since the beginning. Robert and Victoria celebrated their 51st anniversary while Robert was ill with COVID-19. Despite his illness, Robert sent Victoria a glorious bouquet of roses on their anniversary. When shown a picture of Victoria next to her roses, Robert, ever the romantic, responded, “Beautiful – the girl.”
Robert was preceded in death by his parents and youngest brother, Bruce Clarke Alanis of Hondo, Tx. He is survived by his wife Victoria, his sons - Paul and his wife Heather; Mark and his wife Alegra - his grandchildren Parker, Tanner, Carter, Owen, and Kate, and three of his brothers Daniel Cerda Alanis III of Lake Hills, Texas, John L. Alanis of Tucson, Arizona, and Randle (Randy) L. Alanis of Bandera, Texas, as well as a large extended family of beloved nephews, nieces and cousins. He will always be in our hearts.
Services will be held at 12 PM on Thursday 29 October at Shannon Rose Hill Funeral Chapel & Cemetery, 7301 East Lancaster Avenue, Fort Worth, TX, 76112.
Charitable donations can be made to www.samaritanspurse.org
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