Robert James Cruikshank, 93, entered into rest while surrounded by his loving family on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023.
Bob was born in Lake Charles, on Sept. 12, 1930 and in 1938 his family moved to DeQuincy, where he lived until entering William Marsh Rice Institute (University) in 1947 and received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and Accounting in 1951.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Helene Laonise Little; his father, Louis James Cruikshank; his daughter, Eleanor Ann Cruikshank Moore; his sister, Judith Cruikshank Vernon; and the mother of their children, Ann Irving Cruikshank.
After graduating from Rice, Bob spent a short period with the local accounting firm of Henslee and Hopson before enlisting in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. He took basic training at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas where he was awarded the American Spirit Honor Medal in his class of 500, the highest award given during basic training. He received his commission after completing Officer Candidate School where he was the Distinguished Graduate of his class of 600 fellow candidates. He then spent three years at McConnell AFB in Wichita, Kansas as the Resident Auditor reporting directly to USAF, Washington, D.C. Upon his discharge from USAF he returned to his career in public accounting with the Houston firm of Phillips, Sheffield, Hopson, Lewis & Luther. In later years he was able to laugh about how long it took him to “relearn” all of the accounting he had forgotten while in the service in order to pass the CPA exam. Through a series of mergers the accounting firm eventually merged with Haskins & Sells and finally with Touche Ross to become known as Deloitte and Touche. Bob always found the challenges of public accounting exciting and the ability to serve clients satisfying. He often said we may be called bean counters but there is not another profession in which one could get such a variety of experience in so many different businesses and with such a diverse group of clients and fellow accountants. In 1974 Bob was made managing partner of Deloitte. He was the youngest man to ever attain the title of managing partner of a Big 8 accounting firm office at the time. Bob was Managing Partner for Deloitte from 1974 to 1989. He was responsible for the firm’s offices of Houston, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, San Antonio, and Austin. He also served four years as a member of the Board of Directors of Deloitte and also, for two years, was a visiting lecturer in accounting at Rice. During this time he attended the Harvard Business School Management Classes. He retired from the firm in 1993 after a forty-two year career in public accounting. He frequently said that without the guidance and assistance from the wonderful personnel with whom he worked it would not have been possible to handle the many situations he encountered. He lived with the belief that the clients’ satisfaction with the work of the firm was his most important responsibility. Among his most enjoyable duties while at his firm was the recruiting of students. Listening to their dreams and ambitions about their future expectations was satisfying beyond descriptive words to Bob.
In October 1989 Bob married Patty Amsler Hansen whom he met while they were attending Rice in the ’40s and early ‘50s. Patty’s husband, George Hansen, also a Rice graduate, had passed away in 1987. Bob and Patty were married for over twenty-one years and lived a happy and loving life. Each loved to dance and to serve their community together. Bob grieved deeply upon Patty’s death in January 2011. He always gave thanks for the happiness Patty brought into their lives.
She was well known for her “million dollar” smile, and never finding a challenge she could not manage.
On Jan. 2, 2012 Bob joined his daughter, Eleanor Ann Cruikshank Moore at her home in Seguin, Texas in support of her as she battled endometrial cancer. He was with her each day from hospital to hospital until she passed away Oct. 16, 2012. Though his grief was extremely great upon losing her, he expressed to many how fortunate he was to have been with her daily for ten months during her journey and battle. He often recounted how alert, sharp, and witty she was during the entire time, always making friends with the medical personnel who took care of her. Even though her suffering was severe she always handled her situation with dignity.
Bob is survived by: his son, George Irving Cruikshank and wife, Marly, of New York City; his son-in-law Christopher Moore of New Braunfel, Texas. Also surviving Bob are two brothers: Thomas Henry Cruikshank and his wife, Ann; William Edward Cruikshank and his wife, Cynthia; and his sister, Judith Ellen Vernon’s husband Leon Vernon; his grandchildren: Charles L. Moore and Emily Ann Moore and many loving nephews, nieces, and cousins, including Jeanne Little Jard and Helen Smith Williams.
During and after his career in public accounting Bob felt he needed to serve his community which he always seemed to find time to do. He gave credit to his father and mother for the lessons he learned as a boy in DeQuincy. He was taught to respect others and to serve with pride and integrity in everything he set out to accomplish. Bob always felt that living in the small town of De Quincy with such close friends and families taught him more about humility and concern for others than he could have learned elsewhere. During his time at his firm, and in retirement, Bob had an impressive record of service in civic, charitable and business-related organizations which included: Chairman of the Boards of the American Heart Association at the National, State and Local levels; appointment by Governor William P. Clements to serve on the Board of Regents of the University of Texas System, where he served as a Regent and Vice Chairman; Director, Audit Committee Chairman, and member of the Executive and Finance Committees of the Texas Medical Center; Director and Member of Executive Committee of the Greater Houston Partnership; Senior Warden and Treasurer of St. John the Divine Episcopal Church; President and Trustee of the board of Texas Children’s Hospital; Trustee and Treasurer of the board of Hermann Hospital (now Memorial Hermann); First Vice President and Director of River Oaks Country Club; Member of Board of Directors Central Houston; Director and Member of the Governing Board of the Houston Grand Opera; Director of the Houston Symphony Society; Director and Treasurer of the Houston Ballet Foundation; President and Director of the Post Oak YMCA Family Center (now the Trotter Family YMCA Houston); Director of Greater Houston YMCA; Director of the Free Market Education Foundation; Founding Member of the Forum Club; Director Ex-Officio of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo; Member and former Chairman of Rice Accounting Council; Member and former Chairman of University of Texas at Austin Accounting Advisory council; Member of Rice University Associates; Advisory Board Member of the Houston Area Parkinson’s Society; member of Texas Growth Fund; and Treasurer of the Houston American Revolution Bicentennial Commission.
Some of Bob’s other endeavors were related to the political world. He was Co-Chairman of Harris County Committee to re-elect Governor William P. Clements; Chairman of Governor Clements’ Task Force on Uniform Accounting, Auditing, and Financial Reporting for the State of Texas; Co-Chairman of Houston Mayor’s Task Force on Drug Abuse; Chairman of Banking Subcommittee for Texas State Comptroller John Sharp’s Electronic Benefits Transfer Program; Chairman of Harris County Statewide fund raiser to elect President George H.W. Bush; Chairman of HISD Committee to Review Asbestos Abatement for one of its schools; Statewide Treasurer for Tom Phillips Campaign for Chief Justice of Texas Supreme Court; and Statewide fund raising Chairman for the Jack Rains for Governor campaign.
In the corporate world, which Bob spent a good part of his time, he was a director for numerous companies after retiring from Deloitte, including: CenterPoint Energy, Inc., Reliant Energy, Texas Genco Inc., Weingarten Realty Investors, MAXXAM, Inc, Kaiser Aluminum Corporation, Advisory Marketing Director for BBVA Compass-Houston, Encysive Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Trustee of the Ray C. Fish Foundation, and Treasurer, Chairman of Audit Committee, and Director of the Conference of Southwest Foundations.
Bob treasured the awards he received as he went about serving his community. Some of them included: the Gold Heart Award from the American Heart Association; the American Heart Texas Affiliate Eisenhower Award; the American Heart Houston Chapter Paul Dudley White Award for Distinguished Service; The Distinguished Public Service Award from The Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants; recognition by William Marsh Rice University as a Distinguished Alumnus; and recognition with Patty by The Houston Youth Symphony & Ballet as Cultural Leaders of the Year. Bob was extremely proud when he received the National Jewish Center for Immunology & Respiratory Medicine’s Humanitarian Award at which time he established in the name of his deceased friend the George W. Hansen Research Fund for asthma research. The event raised over half a million dollars that was used in vital research for the respiratory condition his friend had endured for over 20 years. Bob was also the 1993 honoree by the Variety Club for its gala starring Dionne Warwick.
Bob wants to remember Dr. James T. Willerson, his doctor and close friend for over thirty years. Dr. Willerson’s nurse, Ms. Mae Thomas was always available to render medical assistance in her very competent manner.
A memorial service in celebration of Bob’s life is to be conducted at 1 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024, at St. John the Divine Episcopal Church, 2450 River Oaks Boulevard in Houston, where the Rev. Louise Samuelson, Associate Rector, is to officiate.
Immediately following the service, all are invited to greet the family during a reception to be held in the adjacent Sumners Hall.
Prior to the service, the family will have gathered for a private interment service at Memorial Oaks Cemetery in Houston.
The family requests with gratitude that in lieu of customary remembrances that contributions in memory of Robert J. Cruikshank be directed to: University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center specifically for Dr. Karen Lu, Director of Research for Uterine Cancer Research Project, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, Texas 77030; Texas Heart Institute, MC 3-116, PO Box 20345, Houston, Texas 77225-0345; Alzheimer’s Association, 2242 W. Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77030; Houston Area Parkinson Society, 2700 Southwest Freeway, Suite 296, Houston, Texas 77098; St. John the Divine Episcopal Church, 2450 River Oaks Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77019;Rice University, Scholarship Program, PO Box 1892, Houston, Texas 77251-1892, or to the charity of your choice.
His family and friends grieve his passing, and are left to carry on, but remembering each day his meaningful words: “each of us must live our lives remembering the importance of character, integrity and respect for others, with our heart filled with love for our Savior, Jesus, who made our whole life possible.”
The family requests flowers be sent to St. John’s the Divine Episcopal Church.
(Paid Memorial)
