Robert R. McMurchy passed away January 5, 2022 at his home in League City, Texas with his family by his side. Robert was born on March 14, 1936 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada and was the youngest child born to Donald J. and Helen J. McMurchy.

Robert as a child enjoyed playing hockey and spending time with his older brother and sister. Following in his sister’s footsteps, he emigrated to the United States in 1954, settling in Fresno, California. Using skills he learned from his father, who worked as a Station Agent with the Canadian National Railroad, he quickly found employment working for the Southern Pacific Railroad in Fresno. It was through a mutual friend that Robert met his future wife Joan Bennett, who by coincidence was the youngest daughter to the outside station manager, where Robert worked, Leon Bennett.

Robert and Joan were married in 1957 and set out starting their family. Their oldest son Randall R. McMurchy was born in November, 1958 and their second son, David B. McMurchy was born in April 1961. While Robert and Joan enjoyed raising their small family, it was also a challenging time as Robert worked a full-time job and also attended college, finally graduating from Fresno State College in 1962 with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. After graduating, he moved with his family to Southern California where he worked as a young engineer for several companies. In April, 1966, their daughter Katie J. (McMurchy) Duckett was born. It was also in 1966, that Robert and his family moved across the country settling in Nassau Bay, Texas, where Robert worked as an aerospace engineer for TRW.

It was his passion and interest in space developed during this period that remained with Robert for the entirety of his life. After Robert’s time as an aerospace engineer, he changed careers and used his charisma and personal skills to become the Regional manager of Ameron International Protective Coatings Group. It was during this time, that Robert began to design and build a pump that was successful in applying sprayable epoxy cladding. From there, Robert once again changed career paths and created a small-family owned computer business that for several years built hundreds of computers, allowing Robert and Joan to finally retire in 1997.

It was during this time of Robert’s computer building that he met, befriended and ultimately remained close with Paulo Nespoli for the rest of Robert’s life. Paulo, like Robert is an aerospace engineer and it was that common interest in space that forged a bond between them. In fact, during Paulo’s time in space, Robert was able to travel in 2010 to Italy and Russia during Paulo’s Soyuz TMA-20 mission. This trip was an once-in-a-lifetime adventure that Robert never forgot. Paulo was like a son to both Robert and Joan.

Robert was a great father and husband. He loved to coach and mentor kids through athletics. Robert coached kids in both baseball and football for many years; in fact, Robert was an instrumental figure in establishing a local youth football league that still serves the local community 60 years later. Robert also enjoyed water-skiing, cool cars and hanging out with his friends. Robert was also known to be very competitive at the pool table as well.

Robert was preceded in death by both of his parents and his older brother, Douglas J. McMurchy. He is survived by his loving wife, Joan McMurchy, his older sister Marlynn Dewar, his sons, Randy and Tara (wife) McMurchy and Dave McMurchy and his daughters Katie Duckett and Summer and Lloyd (husband) Merritt. He is also survived by 5 Grandchildren and 8 Great-Grandchildren.

A celebration of Robert’s life will be held on February 26, 2022, with more details to follow. He was cremated; so in lieu of flowers, please give to a charity of your choosing.