In Memory

Robert (Bob) Stack

Rear Admiral Robert Cole Rear Admiral Robert Cole Stack (65) died on July 20th at Presbyterian Hospital, Dallas, Texas due to complications from diabetes. He is survived by his devoted wife of 29 years, Deborah Smith Stack, his sister Lorraine Lawson of Roswell, GA., and brother Paul Stack of Matthews, NC. Born in Wake County, NC, he was the son of the late Paul N. Stack and Elizabeth G. Cole. He had been a resident of Dallas for 25 years.A graduate of the University of North Carolina, RADM Stack was commissioned in the Supply Corps of the United States Navy and served on active duty from 1965 to 1968. For the next 28 years, he played a substantial role in the Naval Reserve. Qualified as both a Naval Aviation Supply Officer and Surface Warfare Supply Officer, he was a member of the Dallas Navy Recruiting Assistance Council where he received fifty Gold Wreath Awards for recruiting excellence. Over the years, he was awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (Two Gold Stars), Combat Action Ribbon, Meritorious Unit Commendation and additional service and campaign awards. A Charter and Life Member of the Navy Supply Corps Association, he was president of the Board of Directors of the Navy Supply Corps Association as well as the Navy Supply Corps Foundation.

In June of 1970 he completed his MBA at the Darden School, University of Virginia, preparatory to a 28-year career in banking in New York, Miami, Houston and Dallas. He retired as an Executive Vice-President in the Private Bank of Texas Commerce Bank in 1998. In addition to work with his universities, his civic activities included leadership roles on the Board of Directors at Junior Achievement of Dallas, the Dallas Council of the Navy League, the Dallas Theater Center, and the Dallas Military Ball Corporation.RADM Stack will long be remembered for the exceptional professional and military guidance he unselfishly shared, his gift of making a friend of everyone he encountered, and his inordinate love for his canine companions. We will always be inspired by his remarkable ability to deal with adversity as an eternal optimist, despite the ravages of a serious and prolonged illness. His family expresses heartfelt appreciation and thanks to all who have sustained his quality of life during his illness. Burial will be held with Military Honors at the Dallas Fort Worth Veterans Cemetery at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, July 24th, followed by a memorial service scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at the Saint Michael and All Angels Church in Dallas. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Navy Supply Corps Foundation, 1425 Prince Avenue, Athens, GA 30606 or the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 11454, Alexandria, VA. 22312.



 
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10/19/23 10:57 AM #1    

Neal Jackson

This obit (which I am only now seeing for the first time) covers Stack's remarkable Naval and Naval Reserve career. He surely was the only admiral in our class (did we have any general officers?).

But he also had a sterling career in banking - first at Banker's Trust in New York, where he rocketed up the managment ladder.  BT ultimately sent him to Dallas to help manage its activities in Texas, where he lived until he died.

He married Debby (I forget her last name and the year - I was at the wedding in Connecticut, along with Robert Gruber and Jimmy Maynard, and I believe also Diana Worth). 

I think of him often, but had not thought to look among the class records so wonderfully kept by Ann Bennett and others.  


10/20/23 02:53 PM #2    

Jimmy Maynard

This is the first time I have seen this obituary. I had lost contact with Bob for many years and only found out about his passing at our 50th reunion. Robert Gruber had stayed in touch and make me aware Bob had died.

Bob's wedding was quite anevent and it was held Westport, Conn. All of the groomsmen were to order a certain brand of white duck trousers and they could only be purchased at a men's store in New Haven , Conn. My mother attended as she and Bob had become close. Bob's grandparents rasied Bob in a home on the edge of Hayes Barton. 

When Bob moved to Texas we lost touch with each other. He was good friend and think of him when I am in Raleigh and go by the home where he was rasided. R IP " Frecks "

J. Maynard


10/21/23 09:19 AM #3    

Charles Styron

Bob Stack. Now there’s a kind, accommodating presence for you. From what little I knew of him—and it was a little at best—he was indeed kind and accommodating. He was the Manager of the both the football and track teams. Now what kind of fellow does that? Not an athlete—and Bob wasn’t one—but someone who likes to be around athleticism and all the bravado and ridiculousness that goes with it. At nearly 80 years now, it occurs to me that something else was probably in play as well—something that was only nascent in Bob himself at the time: Service to Others. As Neal Jackson noted in his generous tribute, Bob is the only Admiral in our Class. How did he get there? Not by commanding an armada from the bridge of a carrier but by working tirelessly and selflessly and irreplaceably behind the scenes. And doing it for decades. Sounds like the Bob Stack that I remember. Of course, like so many others—so, so many others—I never called him anything but “Stack.” “Hey Stack, what the hell’s going on here?” He’d always know. 

HAIL ROBERT STACK HAIL


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