Robert Charles Messersmith Sr.

1925 - 2007

Robert Charles Messersmith Sr., honored father, devoted husband, gifted architect and treasured friend, passed away at his home in Lubbock, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2007. He was 82 years old.
Graveside service: 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Resthaven Memorial Park in Lubbock. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at First Christian Church in Lubbock with Dr. Michael Passmore and the Rev. Elizabeth Abraham officiating.
Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be directed to Hospice of Lubbock or to the Texas Tech Foundation: Robert and Dorothy Messersmith Scholarship in Architecture.
Robert Charles Messersmith Sr. left his family with lasting memories of a beloved patriarch. He left his community of Lubbock, a better place for his leadership and professionalism.
He was born Aug. 14, 1925, in Fort Worth, the youngest of four sons to Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Messersmith Sr. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Marvin Messersmith, Larry Messersmith and Frank Messersmith Jr. Bobby attended Fort Worth public schools until the family moved to Chicago in 1940. He graduated from Calumet High School in 1942 and returned to Texas to study architecture at Texas Tech. Architecture school was interrupted in 1944 when he enlisted in the Army and volunteered for the 82nd Airborne Division. He saw combat duty for five months in Europe. Six days after his discharge in June 1946, he married his childhood sweetheart, Dorothy Jean Loafman, in Fort Worth. In 1947, Bob and Dorothy moved to Lubbock where he continued his architectural studies at Texas Tech, graduating in 1952.
Bob started his first architectural firm, Stiles, Roberts & Messersmith in 1955. In 1977, he formed Robert Messersmith & Associates, which later became MWM Architects, Inc. with Bob, Jeff Whitaker and David Messersmith as principals. Bob's firms participated in the design and construction of hundreds of projects from the Rio Grande Valley to Colorado â€" schools, museums, office buildings, churches, supermarkets and many facilities on the Texas Tech campus, including the award-winning Texas Tech University Museum.
Bob was a consummate professional â€" a respected architect throughout Texas. His professional achievements included two terms as treasurer of the Texas Society of Architects. In 1983 he was selected by the College of Architecture at Texas Tech University as its first distinguished alumnus. He regarded this as one of his most prestigious honors.
Bob's love of Texas Tech and his contributions to the architectural profession were validated by the establishment in 2003, of the Robert and Dorothy Messersmith Scholarship in Architecture, for deserving students in the Texas Tech College of Architecture. Bob and Dorothy reveled in meeting the recipients and encouraging them in their budding careers.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, the effervescent Dorothy.
Survivors: Son, David Messersmith and wife, Leanne, of Dallas; daughter, Carol Livingston and husband, Bob, of Lubbock; son, Gary Messersmith and wife, Kelly, of Shallowater; son, Robert Jr. of Austin; sister-in-law, Carol Thornton and husband, Bob, of Weatherford; niece, Jamie Thornton of Weatherford; grandchildren, Patrick Messersmith and Kristi Le of Abilene, Ashley Messersmith, Andrew Livingston, Megan Messersmith and Chase Messersmith; and a 2-week-old great-grandson, Connor Robert Messersmith of Abilene.