Robert Eugene McCommas of Chandler past from this life May 9 at the age of 73.

"Bob" was born in Fort Worth, Texas to Emmitt and Dorothy Pennington McCommas. He was the eldest of three boys.

He attended high school in Hurst, Texas before joining the U.S. Marine Corps.

Bob married Linda Diana McCommas in 1962. That union brought two sons, Todd and Jeff.

After his military service he was employed as a Journeyman Iron Worker in Fort Worth, Texas for eight years before serving as a mechanic and heavy equipment operator for Beavers Construction.

Bob's life passion emerged when he and a Quarter Horse name Shorty started day working for Texas ranches. He day worked and managed the Wilson Ranch; the Gowan Ranch; the Goodhope Ranch and Silver C. Cattle Company. In 1977, he sought Ranch Management education at Graham School in Gamet, Kansas.

In 1979, he moved his family to an Oklahoma ranch where he managed a large cow/calf herd along with race horses on the Stansberry Ranch in Wellston.

In 1982, he and Diana opened Circle M Western Wear in Chandler. A few years later he committed to a job in California where he served as a line foreman for Daleo Construction. Six years later, Bob returned to Chandler and worked for Lincoln County Conservation District where he retired in 2003.

In his lifetime, Bob enjoyed roping, cutting horses, hunting and going fishing. Family members and friends know him as a story teller, "the king of the one-liner"; cheerful in all weathers; a Cowboy in every sense of the word. He was a strong man, an outdoorsman who was simple, rugged, gritty, rustic, light-hearted, and sometimes even a little crusty. He stood for "us", selfless ... a true family leader--the unspoken rock.

Bob committed his life to God in study and prayer. His church was the great outdoors.

Pulling on his high top boots and working cows was considered a "great" day for Bob. One of his one-liners was, "Might as well, can't dance." He offered horse advice and ranch help to his kids and grandkids for decades and always had a word of encouragement when things went wrong.

He considered fishing at the coast a true delight with kids and grandkids especially if he had a keeper Red Fish on the line.

An annual deer camp trip with local friends was a highlight for Bob. Cooking biscuits in a pot belly stove was his job! Whether coming home with a deer or not, the group enjoyed the camaraderie.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents.

He left behind his wife, Diana, of 52 years, two sons, Robert Todd McCommas and his wife Diane and Jeff McCommas and his wife Robbie; six grandchildren, Kyler McCommas, Zachary Cole and his wife Lauren, Natalie Peebles McCommas, Jessica McCommas, Megan McCommas Milas and her husband Charles and Emily McCommas, three great-grandchildren, MaKenzie Peebles, Aidyn Milas and Ellison Milas, two brothers, Ronnie McCommas and his wife Debbie and Rick McCommas and his wife Jeanice, as well as a host of nieces, nephews and friends.