Memorials › Bobby Joe Raper
Bobby Joe Raper
9 Feb 1933 – 22 Jan 2025
| Birth | 9 Feb 1933 |
| Death | 22 Jan 2025 |
| Cemetery | Oak Grove Memorial Gardens Irving , Dallas County , Texas , USA |
| Added by | sandyrun on 26 Jan 2025 |
| FaG | https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/278917724 |
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Faith. Family. Duty. Bobby Joe Raper loved God, he loved his family, and he loved serving his country and the City of Irving. Bobby Joe passed away on January 22, 2025 with his family at his side. He was born on February 9, 1933, in McKinney, TX. Bobby Joe served his country during the Korean War, and then returned to Irving where he married Vennie Ann Thompson in 1956. Bobby Joe graduated from McKinney Boyd High School in 1951. He and some buddies from school took the Interurban train to Dallas to join the Marines following graduation. The Marine recruiter told them to go join the Navy. If they enlisted in the Marines, he said, they would be sent straight to the front upon graduation from basic training, and it was likely they would not come home alive. The Navy gladly accepted him. He served on the Destroyer Escort USS Marsh (DE-699). He was a radarman and also served as the Captain's bridge talker. In 2018, on a trip to Colorado to see his oldest daughter Risa and her family, Bobby Joe was able to meet with Jim Bible in Colorado Springs. The two served together on the Marsh and had not seen each other in 63 years. It was an incredible moment for both. Upon leaving the Navy, Bobby Joe began his career working for a dress factory on the edge of downtown Dallas. He answered an advertisement in the paper to go to work for Braniff Airlines as a meteorologist. He had some weather training in the Navy. He learned the job would require him to move to South America. He did not want any part of that. Fortunately, Braniff was willing to train mechanics. Bobby Joe was able to obtain his A&P certification and worked for Braniff at both Love Field and DFW Airport. He worked his way up to inspector and eventually management. One thing that he was most proud was being asked to serve on the board that decided the current retirees already receiving a retirement check from Braniff would keep receiving it after Braniff filed for bankruptcy. That would mean those that were still working would not receive what they had paid in. Many years later he started receiving a small portion of what was due him. He was with Braniff for 29 years. He retired from aviation as an FAA Inspector. Following Braniff he worked for Dalfort and with several charter airlines. After Bobby Joe retired from the aviation industry, he answered the call to preach. He had joined Sowers Baptist Church in the mid-1950's when he moved to Irving. A mutual friend from the McKinney area was working for Southland Life with Vennie and introduced Bobby Joe to her. Bobby Joe and Vennie Ann were married on February 17, 1956. He preached the gospel every chance he got, but it was not until the early 2,000's that he gave in to the call to full-time ministry. Sowers Baptist Church changed names to Pioneer Drive Baptist Church when the street changed names. Bobby Joe had been a member of the same church since giving his life to Christ. He served in many capacities at the church including teaching Sunday School, Training Union, and being an ordained deacon. After filling in as interim pastor at the church, the pastor search committee went to him and offered him the job. He turned them down and asked them to keep searching. The committee continued their search and a few months later came back to him and said God wanted him to take the church. He agreed to pray about it and returned to them a few days later and accepted the position. He retired in January 2023. In the 1970's, the city of Irving was bussing children in southwest Irving to the Shady Grove School west of Beltline and in Grand Prairie. He successfully ran for the Irving City Council after crusading, and failing, to change this policy. It was during this time Irving began to grow from a bedroom community to a vibrant, independent city. Texas Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, opened in 1971. Dallas / Fort Worth Regional Airport opened in 1974. Today, the word Regional has been replaced with International. The Las Colinas development, a privately funded master-planned community, also opened during this time, and Bobby Joe worked with Ben Carpenter on many aspects of this development. Bobby Joe was privileged to serve alongside many of the greats in Irving's history, including Bob Power, Marvin Randle, Jackie May Townsell, and City Manager Jack Huffman. Bobby Joe served as Mayor from 1981 until 1987, and again from 1993 until 1995. He was known as the "blue-jean" mayor of Irving. His only education was graduation from McKinney Boyd High School, the US Navy, and the school of hard knocks, as he would say. Most days he would work the graveyard shift for Braniff while serving on the council and as mayor. He would come home, get a few hours of sleep, and then attend to the city business. He would get a nap in the afternoon and attend meetings at his church or for the city as needed. He was still greatly involved with his family during this time. As was stated above, Bobby Joe loved God, he loved his family, and he loved the City of Irving and his country. He was a huge supporter of southern gospel music. His favorite quartet was The Statesmen Quartet, and he loved their version of What A Savior. His favorite hymn was Victory in Jesus, and his favorite Bible verse was John 3:16 (For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life). He met many of the legends of gospel music by attending the Battle of Songs at Will Rogers Auditorium in Fort Worth and the Grand Ole Gospel Reunion in Greenville, SC. He even attended the Stamps Quartet All-Night Singings at the Sportatorium in Dallas with his mother-in-law, Agnes Thompson. He is still loved today by many of Gospel music's greatest singers. Bobby Joe was preceded in death by his parents; Roy Raper and Grace McIrvin Raper; sisters Opal Raper, Dorothy "Dot" Raper, and brother Roy Max Raper. He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Vennie Ann Thompson Raper; daughter Risa Rich and husband David of Brighton, CO; daughter Gayla Raper Fooks and husband Tim of Irving, TX; son Wade Raper and wife Kim of Frisco, TX; granddaughters Rebekah Rich-Luksik (Alex), Abigail Rich Arteaga (Clark), Clara Raper, Faith Raper and Grace and Aubrey Quin; grandsons Kyle Raper (Reid) and Caleb Raper; and four greatgrandchildren. The family will receive friends from 10:00a.m. thru 11:00a.m. on Monday, January 27, 2025 at Oak View Baptist Church, 1004 S. Story Rd, Irving, TX with a funeral service starting at 11:00a.m. Following the funeral service Bobby will be laid to rest with Military Honors at Oak Grove Memorial Gardens 1413 E. Irving Blvd. Irving, TX 75060. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to: Crisis Ministries 114 E. 2nd Irving TX... https://crisis-ministries.org/ Funeral services will be under the direction of Brown's Memorial Funeral Home in Irving, TX.
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