Robert Blair Manire

Robert Blair "Bob" Manire, was born November 24, 1941 in Sweetwater Texas, to E. Leroy Manire and Yvonne M. Henry Manire. He passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones on November 30, 2024 in Fort Worth at the age of 83. 

Bob liked to tell the story of all the resale clothing in Africia and how one day he was walking down the street and passed a gentleman in a T-shirt that said “Sweetwater Texas, Home of the Rattlesnake Roundup” – what we call a God Wink in our family! He stopped the man and shared that he was from Texas and was born in Sweetwater. What is also interesting; as a boy Bob raised snakes in Fort Worth. Being well rounded, Bob was an active member of the young Methodists and a member of the prestigious Texas Boys Choir. He had a nice singing voice, but for those who knew him well; his whistling was as lovely as a fine-tuned instrument. Bob grew up in Fort Worth Texas and graduated Cum Laude from Arlington Heights High School in 1959. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of Texas at Arlington (formerly Arlington State College), and received a Master’s degree, and pursued a PhD at the University of North Texas, University of Houston, and Texas Christian University. His academic achievements laid the foundation for a distinguished career as a physicist and mathematician. Bob worked with NASA in Houston, Bell Helicopter, General Dynamics, and Boehringer Manheim, where his brilliance and dedication left a lasting impact.

Some of his achievements he liked to share were his design of environmental control systems for F-16’s and the fact he wrote the computer program for the first home glucometer device that tests blood sugar. He also considered himself an entrepreneur and jokingly said in his self-deprecating humor “Every man has at least one great idea that doesn’t work; I’ve had many!” For instance, Bob and a dear friend had the idea of developing, producing, and marketing individual home fire alarms. Before going to market, he stored the inventory underneath he and his wife’s bed – all was well, until one alarm went off causing a chain reaction, and ALL the alarms went off at the same time! It was 2 A.M. in the morning!

In 1993, Bob joined the Peace Corps, embarking on a life-changing journey to Tanzania. Deeply moved by the needs of the local children, he chose to remain there after his service to dedicate his life to their care and education. Over three decades, Bob founded Volunteers of Kilimanjaro, he assisted a volunteer friend serving the Leper communities and helped to establish the Children of Kilimanjaro (COKO) a group home providing shelter and support for children orphaned by poverty, and HIV/AIDS. Through his tireless efforts and the generosity of family and friends, he also helped educate countless young people from elementary school through university. Bob’s unwavering commitment to others was a testament to his extraordinary heart and character. Bob is survived by his wife, Edith Manire of Nairobi, Kenya; daughters Gina Manire of Fort Worth and Jacqueline Morton of Arlington; sons David Manire (Denise) of Ben Franklin, Texas, and Maximilian Manire (Selina) of Tanzania; and former wife Madeleine Farmer of Kennedale, Texas. Bob is also survived by his grandchildren; Ryan, Alec and Madeleine, his sister-in-law Vicki Manire, brother-in-law Pat McCoy (Valerie) and a multitude of friends in the USA and Africa. He also survived by cousins, as well as nieces and nephews, and great nieces and great nephews. Bob was preceded in death by his parents Leroy and Yvonne Manire, brother Michael E. Manire, sister Sherry Mast, and close friends whom he dearly missed.

In accordance with Bob’s wishes, no services will be held. Those wishing to honor his legacy may consider making a donation to continue his work in Tanzania. Orphans of Kilimanjaro @ helpcoko.org. 

When his daughter Gina visited the orphanage in 2022, the children called her dad “Babu Christmas” which warmed her heart. Was it her father’s servant heart, or white hair and beard that prompted the nickname, perhaps both? Bob lived a life that mattered, embodying compassion, integrity, and selflessness. May his memory inspire all who knew him.

This poem meant the world to Babu Bob (Swahili for Grandfather), and he shared it on his website and with each person he met.

Live a Life that Matters (by Michael Josephson) 

Ready or not, someday it will all come to an end. 

There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days. 

All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else. 

Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance. 

It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed. 

Your grudges, resentments, frustrations, and jealousies will finally disappear. 

So, too, your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will expire. 

The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away. 

It won’t matter where you came from, or on what side of the tracks you lived, at the end. 

It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant 

Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant. 

So what will matter? 

How will the value of your days be measured? 

What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave. 

What will matter is not your success, but your significance. 

What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught. 

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example. 

What will matter is not your competence, but your character. 

What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone. 

What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you. 

What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what. 

Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident. 

It’s not a matter of circumstance, but of choice. 

Choose to live a life that matters.