Bob Clough

Robert M. “Bob” Clough, the husband of Joann “Jody” Clough, and a longtime resident of Chappell Hill, Texas passed into heaven on Saturday, January 10. 

Bob was born the only son of Forrest H. and Lila Estelle Moore Clough in Orange, Texas on March 11, 1932. After retiring in Chappell Hill, he and his wife, Jody, became members of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Brenham for twenty years and later became members of First Baptist Church Chappell Hill.

 After attending public school in Orange, Texas he began his studies at Southwest Texas State Teachers College in San Marcos, followed by a nine month study at U.S. Army Technical School at Ft. Bliss, Texas. He completed Electrical Engineering studies at The University of Texas at Austin in 1958.

After graduating from University of Texas, Mr. Clough worked at Texas Instruments in Dallas, Texas where he was assigned to find applications for the then-new transistor. Later he was responsible for the integration and testing of the Lunar Landing system for NASA’s project Apollo leading to a successful soft landing on the moon in 1969. He often mused about his finger prints being on the moon. Afterwards he was cited by the U.S. Navy for his contributions in adapting the lunar landing technology to helicopters allowing all weather rescue operations. His early work in this area was significant in the development of terrain following radar, which is used in military aircraft today. He ended his career with Stewart and Stevenson Services in Houston, Texas in 1997 and moved to Chappell Hill. After retirement, he conducted Electric Power System lectures for Stewart and Stevenson, GE and other electric power generation companies in more than twenty countries. In 2013 he authored a text book titled: “Electric Power System Fundamentals” published by Chain Bridges Press which was used in many colleges across the United States. He was also a guest columnist for the Brenham Banner Press where he wrote about world history.

Bob was very involved in the community of Chappell Hill. He was a member of the Chappell Hill Historical Society and gave tours of the town during the Bluebonnet Festival and Scarecrow Festival. He also was a charter member and a Paul Harris fellow in the Rotary Club of Washington County.

He had a lifelong enjoyment of writing both fiction and nonfiction. His other activities were serving his church, including bringing meals to shut ins, music, flying airplanes, playing golf at the Brenham Country Club, reading history and assembling a collection of his favorite books. He loved meeting new people and making new friends. He will be missed by his family and friends.

He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Joann “Jody” Clough; daughter Sandra Zoppe; son, James F. Clough; step children: Robin and Scott Harris, Steven Johnson, Pamela and George Waldren; and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. 

Pallbearers will be Rick Mitchell, Phil Bartlet, Larry Miller, Bill Lane, George Waldren, Lazlo Zoppe, Eric Johnson and Kyle King. With Honorary Pallbearers Daivid Toalson, Chuck West and Richard Waldren.

Funeral services will be held at First Baptist Church in Chappell Hill on Thursday, January 16 at 11 am. Burial will follow in Masonic Cemetery in Chappell Hill.