Coach Robert Clarence "Bob" French

      - July 5, 2023

Westchestr 1973 Yearbook Picture

“ A great coach is hard to find, but impossible to forget.” 

With heavy hearts, Bob’s family wants to share that he passed on July 5, 2023 after bravely battling leukemia for the last 15 months.

The Memorial Service for Robert (Bob) French will be held on

Tuesday, July 25, 2023 at 2:00 pm.

Second Baptist Church - 1463 Campus (5757 FM 1463, Katy, TX 77494)

Robert Clarence "Bob" French of Weston Lakes, TX lost his battle with leukemia on July 5, 2023, at the age of 79. Coach, as he was called by most (including his granddaughters), was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He enjoyed gospel music, good food, and sports of any kind. Bob remembered every play he ever called on the field and could "swap stories" with the best of the best! He knew which restaurants you should try in almost any small town and was always happy to share his opinion - about restaurants, or anything else. Unknown to most, he played the steel guitar as a teenager and sang in the choir, which is probably where his love of gospel and country music began.

Outside of his "girls" - wife, daughters, and granddaughters - baseball, football, and golf were the undercurrents of Bob's life. He played football and baseball at Galena Park High School and received an athletic scholarship to the University of Houston where he played catcher on the Cougar baseball team. Bob was a high school coach for 31 years: 19 in the Spring Branch Independent School District (at Westchester, Stratford, Northbrook), 10 as the Athletic Director and Head Coach at Nacogdoches Independent School District, and 2 years in Dallas area districts. After retiring from coaching, Bob built a second career in the Oil and Gas Industry at Frank's International, Weatherford, and Tesco. It is during this time that golf became his "sport of choice".

Bob was preceded in death by his father (Robert Marvin French) and mother (Clara D. French).

He is survived by his wife of 60 years (Brenda Upshaw French), his two daughters (Robyn French Tschantz and Aimee French Ennis), his two sons-in-law (Todd Tschantz and Lyle Ennis), his four granddaughters (Taylor Tschantz, Sarah Ennis Moore, Madison Tschantz, and Katie Ennis), and his grandson-in-law (Josh Moore).

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, at Second Baptist Church - 1463 Campus (5757 FM 1463, Katy, TX 77494) at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society @ http://diy.lls.org/CoachFrench.

Published by Carnes Funeral Home - Texas City on Jul. 18, 2023.

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/robert-french-obituary?id=52488471