MADISON — Robert C. (Bob) Travis died December 5, 2008, after a prolonged illness, at age 73. The son of Cecil F. Travis and Mae McCullen Travis, Bob was an honor graduate of Jackson Central High School, where he won the Citizenship Award as the senior who contributed the most to the welfare and betterment of the school.
Bob received a B.A. degree and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Mississippi, graduating with distinction from both undergraduate and law school. Among his numerous honors and activities at Ole Miss were Student Body President, Hall of Fame member, president of Sigma Chi fraternity his sophomore year, Army ROTC Distinguished Military Student, Cadet Battalion Commander of Army ROTC, president of the Mississippi Intercollegiate Council, member of Student Body Campus Senate, delegate to the National Student Association President’s Conference, president of the YMCA, and chairman of the Department of Student Activities. His memberships in national honor societies include ODK (leadership fraternity), Pi Kappa Pi (scholastic fraternity), Pi Sigma Alpha (political science fraternity), Claiborne Society (history fraternity), Scabbard and Blade (military society), and Pershing Rifles (military society).
During the Soviet repression of Hungary in 1957, Bob organized a campus-wide financial drive that brought two Hungarian refugee students to campus for full 4-year scholarships. Of those students, John G. Adler, has since given over 3 million dollars to the University.
In his senior year at Ole Miss, Bob received the Balfour Award for the most outstanding Sigma Chi in the United States in the four qualifications of scholarship, personality, fraternity service, and student activity. He was the only Ole Miss student ever to win this award.
Bob served 2 years in the U.S. Army as a military intelligence officer and photo-interpreter at the Pentagon. After his military duty, he earned a Master of Laws from Yale University. Upon graduation, Bob practiced law with his father’s firm, Travis McKee and Franck and later with Wise Carter Child and Caraway, where he was lead attorney for the building of the Grand Gulf nuclear power plant. He was Chairman of the Natural Resources Commission under Governor William Winter and was active in managing air and water quality in the state. For over 30 years, Bob donated his legal services to the Willard Bond Home in Madison, MS, and served as its vice-president. He was also attorney for the Mississippi Oil and Gas Board.
Known for many years as Mississippi’s “Mr. Golf,” Bob began his love of the game at age 15. In high school, he played on the golf team and won the Big-8 High School Championship. At Ole Miss, he was a 4-year letterman and captain of the team coached by the legendary Junie Hovious. During his half century of tournament golf, Bob qualified for and played in 3 USGA national championships: U.S. Amateur, U.S. Senior Amateur, and the U.S. Senior Open.
A partial list of Bob’s championships includes Army Open Division at Ft. Belvour; MS State Amateur (twice); MS State Open; MS State Four Ball; Laurel Labor Day Four Ball (5 times); Colonial Invitational (3 times); Batesville Invitational (5 times); Oxford Invitational (3 times); Tupelo Invitational (twice); Tallulah, LA Regional; MS State Seniors; MS State Senior Four Ball; invitationals and four ball evens at Meridian, Hattiesburg, Clarksdale, Greenville, Jackson, and Vicksburg. From 1952 – 1957, he was either winner or runner up in the Country Club of Jackson Men’s club championship. Throughout his career, he made 10 holes-in-one and 2 double eagles, one at the famed Pebble Beach course.
Bob was a founding member of the Mid South Golf Association, which hosted Cup Matches with teams from Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas. He played as a member of the Mississippi team for more than 10 years. In addition, he served as president and board member of the Mississippi Golf Association.
For Bob, golf was life’s greatest delight. His joyous love of the game and his infectious high spirits brought that delight to countless courses and competitors. Bob’s favorite quotation was from Grantland Rice: “When that one great scorer comes to mark against your name, he writes not that you won or lost by how you played the game.” Bob Travis played it will style and grace. He was way under par.
Bob is survived by his wife Bonnie E. Carter; daughter Susan Travis Ridgway; sister Wesley Ann Travis Norton; grandchildren Mary Travis Barkley, William Donald Barkley, Susannah Barrett Barkley, Colin McRae Ridgway; and stepdaughter Brett Brinegar.
A memorial celebration of Bob’s life will be held at Annandale Golf Club in Madison, MS, on Saturday, January 24 at 4:00 p.m. Anyone wishing to attend is encouraged, but not required, to respond by email to bobtravismemorial@hotmail.com or by phone to (601) 853-9386. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the Willard Bond Home, the Mississippi Junior Golf Foundation through the Mississippi Golf Association, cancer charities, or any other charity of your choice.