Robert Thomas Shurtleff, 88, died on Dec. 14, 2023.
A funeral service will be held at Sneed-Carnley Funeral Chapel in Lampasas on Dec. 20 at 11 a.m. Visitation be held at the same location at 10 a.m., immediately preceding the service.
Burial will follow at Townsen Cemetery, east of Adamsville on FM 581.
Robert was born in Lampasas on Nov. 23, 1935 to Robert O. and Ethel Shurtleff. He grew up on the Lampasas County farm and ranch established in 1906 by his grandfather, William Wesley Shurtleff. Growing up, Robert and his younger brother Buddy were extremely close, as he was with his numerous cousins.
The Simms Creek and Lampasas River area is where he worked and played. Robert had horses and roped working on the farm and in the rodeo arena.
After graduating from Lampasas High School, Robert attended the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M) in the Class of ‘58, and was a member of the Corps of Cadets. He majored in petroleum engineering. He put himself through college and worked in the Duncan Dining Hall in order to pay for his tuition. He was employed during the summers with Union Oil Company of California and eventually would be hired full time after graduation from A&M.
In 1963, he married Mary Virginia Cash, whom he had met in Midland. Robert and Mary raised three boys, Robert, Cy and Hunter.
Robert was an employee for “Unocal” for 35 years and climbed the corporate ladder as a production superintendent and manager. His employment in the oil patch took Robert and Mary and their family to numerous locations including Midland, Texas; Los Angeles, California; Moab, Utah; Casper, Wyoming; Edmond, Oklahoma; and Lafayette, Louisiana.
Robert was an avid outdoorsman. He loved to hunt, fish and be outdoors. He loved chasing big game in the western states, South Texas whitetail, quail in West Texas and big bass in Mexico. He shared his passion for hunting with his wife and the boys, and the whole family enjoyed hunting and fishing adventures.
Robert also was a prankster, a trait he inherited from his father and his uncle, Thomas Cullen “T.C” Shurtleff. He was quick with a joke, a tale or sometimes a wellthought-out prank. He would get so tickled with himself that he would struggle finishing the tale because of laughter.
In the late 1990s, Robert and Mary retired and moved back to the Shurtleff homestead place in Lampasas County. They raised cattle, crops and a garden. The ranch provided the country home for their boys and their families to come enjoy.
Robert celebrated his 88th birthday on Thanksgiving Day with a dinner and a house full of his entire family.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Virginia Shurtleff; sons Robert Thomas Shurtleff II and daughter-in-law Michelle Shurtleff, Cy Oliver Shurtleff and daughterin- law Linley Shurtleff, and Wyley Hunter Shurtleff and daughterin- law Marca Shurtleff; grandchildren Rylee, Megan, Ryan, Chase, C.R., Cylin and Taylor; and a brother, Samule Howard “Buddy” Shurtleff and wife Pam.
Memorial donations may be sent to Townsen Cemetery Association, 895 CR 3731, Lampasas, TX 76550.
