Bobby Gene Wesbrooks

Bobby Gene Wesbrooks, 79, passed away on Jan. 31, 2016 in Denton, Texas.

Born in Burkburnett, Texas on Feb. 20, 1936 to Mark and Grace Wesbrooks. Bob lived most of his life in the Wichita Falls area, San Diego, Calif., and later in Trophy Club, Texas.

Mark Wesbrooks, his father, founded Wesbrooks, Inc. in 1956. Bob started working for his father in 1957. He always said that he learned everything about business from his father. Bob first worked for him in the early years after school at Wesbrooks Fresher Foods where he learned how to treat customers. That stuck with Bob and in 1972 when Mark Wesbrooks died he was ready to step into his Dad's shoes. He worked for Wesbrooks for 48 years before retiring in 2005. Bob was a successful business man and with an innate marketing talent he grew the business into a company with clients in every state.

Bob was a talented jazz artist. Many of his works were painted in motel rooms in 1959 when he was making calls across the United States for Wesbrooks. His work was very identifiable. In 2004 the Ft. Worth Jazz Festival named him Jazz Artist of the Year. His paintings hung in many jazz clubs in the DFW area. Bob attended Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles where Walt Disney guided students.

Starting at Wichita Falls High School Bob had a jazz band. Coming from a family of jazz drummers it seemed only natural to have his own band. His love for jazz music never ended. He saw many of the jazz greats when he lived in L.A. Those were his happiest days. Living in Trophy Club, Texas, he became close friends with many noted jazz musicians in the DFW area. His idea of a party was to have his friends perform in his home. Bob was an active member of Sammons Jazz in Dallas where he donated his paintings to be used as fund-raisers. There is a brick on the Sammons Jazz walkway with his name and an inscription "The Beat Goes On."

Services were under the direction of Hampton Vaughan at Crestview Memorial, hampton_vaughan@yahoo.com.