Robert Lynn Armour Jr, Bobby to those who knew him, was born on August 11, 1952, in Houston, Texas. He was promoted to Heaven on July 4, 2024, surrounded by his loving family, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Bobby was raised in Memphis, Tennessee by his late parents Robert Lynn Sr and Margaret Lanier Armour, along with his siblings Margie, Nancy Appling, and John.
As a boy, Bobby had no doubts about what he wanted to be when he grew up. He soloed his first aircraft on his 16th birthday and pursued an Air Force career through ROTC at Memphis State University. In 1976, Bobby was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the USAF. After pilot training he began his career as a fighter pilot, flying the T-33, the F-106, and the F-16 Viper. He was a Desert Storm veteran, twice awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his extraordinary achievements in combat. He retired from the Air Force in 1995 as a Lieutenant Colonel and began a second career as a pilot for FedEx, where he retired in 2017.
Bobby met the love of his life, Juli (Taylor), in 1981. A fellow Air Force officer, she was introduced to Bobby while he was on a date with her late sister Lynne. Bobby and Juli were married on September 5, 1981, at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. They had three children together, Trip, Leslie, and Michael. Leslie was born with cystic fibrosis. Her courageous struggle with that disease, which ultimately took her life at the age of 21, played a defining role in Bobby's life and served as an inspiration during his own fight with cancer.
He was diagnosed with metastatic renal cell carcinoma in 2006, and was told he had a life expectancy of 14 months. He successfully battled cancer for 18 years, defying all odds, and filling those years with precious memories including travel with family and friends, miles and miles of bike rides, the marriages of both his sons, and spending time with his grandchildren, who know him as "Zuma."
In recent years, Bobby felt called to serve veterans, especially those struggling to adjust to civilian life. He was an active volunteer at the Coffee Bunker and was certified as an Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) instructor, on many occasions intervening with veterans experiencing mental health crises.
As a young adult, Bobby decided to trust in Jesus Christ and walk with Him for all his days. He would often say that "it's all about Jesus" and that deep conviction was central to the way that he lived his life. Through both joys and hardships, he considered himself blessed beyond measure.
The Armour family is deeply thankful to all the friends and family that have expressed their love for Bobby through their words and deeds. We are also thankful to the team at OCSRI and the doctors and nurses at St. John Medical Center who cared for Bobby with incredible compassion and decency.
Bobby is survived by his wife, Juli, sons Trip (Kacey) and Michael (Skylar), and grandchildren Bennett, Nolyn, Margaret, and Robert Lynn Armour IV "Court."
Services are July 10 at 2 pm, at RiverOaks Presbyterian Church in Tulsa. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Sooner Chapter at 2123 S Atlanta Pl #100 Tulsa, OK 74114 or the Coffee Bunker at 6365 E 41st St Tulsa, OK 74135.