Bobby L. "Bob" Hornsby

1935 - 2016

Bobby L. "Bob" Hornsby, a beloved son, brother, husband and father, passed away peacefully Sunday, March 6, 2016 after a long illness. Graveside service: 11 a.m. Monday, April 4, in Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery, Dallas, Texas. Memorial visitation: 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 2, at Greenwood, Fort Worth, Texas. Bob was born July 5, 1935 in Enterprise, Ala., to Eual "D." and Ida Hornsby, at an early age Bob's family moved to Winter Haven, Fla. There at age 14, Bob met the love of his life, Mary Ruth Edenfield, who was his date to the annual Orange Blossom Festival, and then never left his side. After high school, Bob enlisted in the Air Force, following his lifelong passion for airplanes, and served proudly as a Tech Sergeant, where he was also introduced to electronics. At 19, Bob and Mary were wed on Dec. 26, 1954. Following his short Air Force duty, he graduated from the University of Florida at Gainesville with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, and then Bob received a job offer from the Convair com-pany, resettling his small family in River Oaks, Texas in 1961. Bob spent his entire career within that company, which was absorbed into General Dynamics and later be-came Lockheed Martin. He helped design electrical flight control systems for many aircraft, including the B-58 and the F-111; in the late 1970s, his proudest achievement was the first all-digital flight control system for the F-16, a lightweight, highly-maneuverable fighter/bomber that is still in military service across the world today. He also developed ex-perimental flight control systems for the F-16. Naturally reserved but friendly, became an accomplished advanced-level ballroom dancer and together they helped launch, lead and expand the General Dynamics Ballroom Dance activity over two decades. Bob was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Ruth (Edenfield) Hornsby; and greatgrandchildren, Jaxon and Samantha. Survivors: Sister, Jean (Hornsby) Powell of Bradenton, Fla; daughter, Beverly (Persons); sons, Robert, Michael, and Gregory, along with their spouses; grandchildren, Andrew, Kenneth, Bryan, Henry, Graham, Gregory Jr., Zachary, and Jessica.